A Brief Moment in Time
by Cka3ka
Summary: BV-TP: Sometimes there are second chances to a bittersweet life. Across time and space, Bulma and Vegeta meet again for the second time and Trunks and Pan meet for the first. Are they fated to be? -COMPLETE-
1. Chapter One: A Wrinkle In Time

﻿Introduction: ABMT is a epic space opera that takes place in the DBZ world. It's not technically non-canon, but it does take place in an AU. The one thing that I must warn you is that the personalities of the characters are not necessarily IC or OC, they are how I think the IC characters would have developed if presented with certain situations. Anyway, I think you will enjoy the story if you give it a chance. By Chapter 10, I'm sure you will be hooked. Please leave a review or 10, even though the story is done and I will be posted it relatively quickly. I'd love to hear your opinions and to know that readers, new and old are with me. Also please feel free to IM me or email. I always am looking for people to bounce new writing ideas off of. And now onto the story... 

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belongs to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Author: Cka3ka

Chapter 1: A Wrinkle in Time

It was three days after the Summer Solstice. The sun was shining high and a cool breeze blew off the Pacific giving relief to the sweltering heat of summer. The grass was green and the birds chirped happily in the exclusive residential area. Things had quieted down in the last two years since Trunks had defeated the strange monster that he had called Cell.

At the moment, Bulma sat quietly on the front porch of her home looking outwards. Her long hair was tied behind her near the small of her back; she wore a pink blouse with red pants. A cup of tea in hand, she sat quietly looking out at the landscape lost in her own little world. She didn't quite see the young maple saplings or the coalescent colors of the myriads of flowers that now bloomed. Instead theoretical algorithms and complex equations flashed through her mind as she though about ways to improve the various power sources that were currently available to the denizens of Chikyuu.

A flash of light in her peripheral vision brought her out of her reverie. She looked up and saw a streak of blue light heading towards her. Her heart fluttered for a second relieved that he was coming back her. She knew that he was probably the most powerful person in the world since Goku wasn't around, but she still worried every time he went out.

She stood up and went to meet the man as he slowly descended from the sky. _I can't believe he is so handsome,_ she thought to herself as she looked him over. His well-muscled arms and physique were shown off by his attire, he was only wearing a black tank top and pants of matching color. His lavender hair had been cut short again except for two long bangs in front and his eyes glittered as he saw her.

"Trunks, I think I'm going to have to restrict your wardrobe. If you keep wearing that all the girls are going to just swoon at the sight of your handsome self."

"MOM," cried Trunks. He was utterly embarrassed by her remark. Thankfully no one was around besides her. His mother always joked about his looks and how he had to beat off girls with a stick. This was somewhat true. When he had first defeated the androids he had become a little bit of a celebrity, as much as one could be in this post-apocalyptic world. He'd had several relationships, one of which would remain in his heart for the rest of his life. However, he didn't think he was someone that special. He was just a guy out to do his best and to help people.

His mother simply chuckled as all mothers do when they embarrass their children on purpose. Parents do have to be entertained after all and there simply isn't anything as entertaining as watching your children blush when you embarrass them. In private of course, well sometimes in public too.

"Come on. I've got some tea made. Come in and tell your mother about your day," she said as she opened the door and walked to the kitchen. Trunks followed a second later and sat down at the table as he waited for her to heat up the water.

"So? How is Apple City doing?" she asked curiously as she poured tea from a red kettle into a cup for her son.

"Pretty good mom. They seem to have everything going. Sewer system is working, fresh water and electricity. It looks like things are looking up," answered Trunks as he took a careful sip from the cup. It was his favorite, Earl Gray tea with a hint of honey and a dab of milk.

"Well anything is better than having unstoppable mass murdering androids running around," Bulma said casually, "The world has really begun to recover. I hope the day comes when the androids will just be a shadow of the past… Anyway how's your training coming along?"

"Well mom you know I've managed to ascend beyond Super Saiyan a while ago. I'm way more powerful than Cell or even Gohan was the last time I saw him," answered Trunks before he grew quiet. After a moment, he finally said, "I think there is something more though. I think there is a level even beyond the Ascended Saiyan, mom."

"That's incredible son," smiled Bulma as she took another look at her son. He truly was the man that she had hoped that he would become. "I am so proud of you."

"Thanks mom," he said with a grin that would have made anyone else's knees grow weak. "I think that Dad would be proud of me too. I'm even thinking of taking a trip back to visit everyone."

"I'm sure your father would be very proud of you," assured Bulma quietly but with a hint of skepticism as she took another sip, "Go take a shower Trunks and when you get done come down to the hanger where the time machine is kept. I'm going to run some quick diagnostics on the Dimensional Matrix to see if it's still in usable condition. You may even learn something son."

Trunks laughed good naturally at his mom's little jab. "Sure mom. I'll see you down there in a little bit."

She watched him as he stood up and walked up the stairs towards his room. _I really wish I could believe that your father would be proud of you Trunks… But I can't._

Standing up, Bulma gathered up the dishes and put them in the sink. She turned on the water and began to wash them. Now that her thoughts had turned to Vegeta she could feel the aching loneliness within her. She had loved the man. Sure he gave new meaning to the word egotistical and had been a mass-murderer but she had thought she had seen a part of him that was different—a caring and, perhaps, nurturing part. She was sure that she was right. After Goku had defeated Freeza on earth he had stayed with her at Capsule Corps. They had started an affair about two years later when she and Yamcha had broken up for good. To say that he cared for her would have been pushing things, but she was sure that he was warming up to her. He would do little things for her or allow her to get away with things that he would allow no other to get away with. That had all changed when he had left for space and attained the Super Saiyan level. He had come back and announced that he was the Prince of all Saiyans again and that had been the beginning of the end. His ego had become unbearable and he returned to the way he had once been. She could still remember their final conversation.

_"Vegeta I'm pregnant?" she had told him. Pride had beamed in her eyes on that day, he would be a father and she would be a mother. They could finally settle down and raise a family though she knew it would not be a normal one._

_"What does that have to do with me?" he snorted, "I am not the father of some half breed child. This is your child not mine."_

_"Whawhaaat…" she had whispered, "Vegeta what IS the MATTER with you? Why?"_

_"I am the Prince of all Saiyans and you are just a measly earthling. Now leave me so that I can train to defeat Kakkarot."_

_"Vegeta you don't mean…"_

_"Woman I said get out… get out now before I do something YOU will regret."_

She still had hoped that he would come around afterwards. She had tried to get things to the way they were before he had left for space. However, it didn't work and he had left to battle Goku. Funny thing about that, Goku died on that day but not from Vegeta. Rather the heart virus had taken his life and Vegeta's desire for revenge had been thwarted by fate. A few days later the Androids killed him.

Bulma wiped a tear away. She still loved him; why she didn't know. He had some hold over her even though he didn't care about her. Oh maybe it would have grown to something but it never did. Now she was forty some years old and was growing old fast. Maybe it was time to move on, not that she thought about Vegeta much anymore. Well lately she had simply because Trunks kept mentioning him and it made her happy that he looked at his father in such a good light. Maybe her past self would have better luck. Shaking herself, Bulma forced her mind away from bad memories. After seventeen years of android havoc and watching her friends die she was quite good at that.

"Ok, Bulma time to work on the Time Machine," she said to herself. Turning off the water she wiped her hands dry and left the kitchen. Walking through a few doors taking a left here and a right there she walked into her lab and took a good look at the time machine.

It was her masterpiece. A scientific marvel and she had built it herself in a world where technology had been dieing fast. It had taken her ten years to design and complete but she had done it. More importantly it had been successful. Trunks had become powerful enough to destroy the androids and now the world was safe.

"Yep, you are not only beautiful, but brilliant Bulma…" she told herself quietly. It had been one of things she used to say when she had been younger around her friends. Now… she was older, wiser, and far less idealistic. _I can't believe I was going to wish for a perfect boyfriend…_ she reminisced; _I can't believe I was that naive. _As she started to open the machine she thought, _maybe I should take a trip to the past. I could see Goku, Gohan, Chichi, Krillan… wow maybe even Yamcha._ She made her way down the list of people she would visit until she hit finally hit the one and stopped cold, _Vegeta._ _Well scratch that idea; there is no way I could handle that._

She quickly stifled a sob as the memories came welling up again. Bringing one hand up to wipe away a tear she lost her balance. Falling forward she touched the dimensional matrix without any sort of protection and suddenly she felt white-hot pain sear through her.

"TRUNKS!" she cried as everything changed and her world twisted away in a myriad of colors.

Trunks heard his mother scream his name and he came racing down from his room as fast as he could. Not wasting any time he crashed straight through the floor in Super Saiyan form into the lab. He could only stare in horror as he saw his mother glow with a bright white light and then suddenly vanish.

"MOM!" he cried as he ran to the spot she had just been. _No! This can't be happening, _he thought. Of all people in this world he only had his mother. They had been very close their entire lives as he had few friends and his father had died before he had been born. That and the androids had kept everyone hidden in fear causing almost all families to become that much closer. You never knew when your mother, father, brother, or sister would be killed, and the fact that you could wake to find your loved ones gone at anytime taught everyone not to take them or life for granted. Tears began to well up in Trunks' eyes.

_Get a hold of yourself Trunks. She disappeared and she probably just got sent into the past. Dad, Goku, and Gohan are all there and they'll take care of her… You know that Trunks. Now you just have to find mom's plans and fix the time machine. Anyway she'll see all her old friends and that might even be good for her._

Slightly relieved Trunks climbed into the time machine to see if his mom had worked on anything in the cockpit. Apparently she hadn't and he did a quick systems check to see if everything still worked. They did. _Ok, all I have to do is create a new matrix and mom has detailed notes so it can't be too tough._ Getting up he started to climb out of the cockpit but stopped when he saw the destination panel. His eyes grew wide and his heart skipped about five beats. He knew the destination code for Goku's time by heart and looking at the panel… he saw a different code.

Bulma found herself screaming as she felt herself being wretched apart and then put back together. Suddenly she found herself a few feet above a polished stone floor. _Shit this is going to hurt._ Sure enough the next thing she knew was the feel of slamming into solid stone. Hearing buzzing all around her she decided that she must have hit a little harder than she had thought. _I really shouldn't be hallucinating from that. I didn't fall that hard._

Standing up shakily she looked around and saw herself surrounded by a few dozen people. A few dozen aliens rather. All of them seemed to be dressed up and at some type of reception, or some type of court. Worse, all of them were staring at her. Before she knew it she was tackled to the floor and pinned by two guards.

"Sir, the assassin has been disabled," said the first guard into the air.

Bulma turned her head slightly to yell at the guard and noticed that he was wearing a scouter. "Let me go you dim witted Neanderthal. I'm not an assassin."

"Shut her up Saxon," said the first guard to his companion. The second guard pulled out a gag and shoved it, not too tenderly, into Bulma's mouth.

"That'll keep her mouth shut," said the second guard as he fought off Bulma's struggles easily, "She sure is wimpy for an assassin."

"Yeah, aren't assassins supposed to be dangerous?"

"Yes… and this one is far more dangerous than you can possible imagine," came another voice. This voice was one that Bulma knew… It had been a long time since she had heard the gruff masculine sound but she could place it… oh could she place it.

"Tell me Bulma, why are you here and who sent you?" came the voice again.

Bulma looked up only to find herself staring into the charcoal black eyes of a man she thought she would never have to see again. A man she loved and hated at the same time; a man who was the father of her son. She stared into the eyes of Vegeta no Ouji.


	2. Chapter Two: To Meet Again

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Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Author: Cka3ka

Chapter 2: And we meet again…

_Another Dimension… Another Time…_

Bulma looked up only to find herself staring into the charcoal black eyes of a man she thought she would never have to see again. Memories long suppressed began to surface in her mind. She suddenly remembered how much she longed for this man and how she had loved him. Yet, looking into his black eyes she couldn't see any of her feelings returned. Instead they were boring into her as if she were some sort of test animal and it was enough to make her feel as if someone had splashed her with a bucket of ice water.

_Heh. What made me think that he would feel any differently in this dimension?_

"Remove the gag so that the woman can speak," she heard him order to the two guards. Her attention, however, was no longer on the room or her surroundings. It had, instead, turned inwards. Seeing him had set her emotions, long kept under tight control, free. It had been a long time since she had cried and now, at the sight of him, her azure eyes began to slowly fill up with tears. The years of loneliness had finally caught up to her. For of all emotions, that was the one that tore at her the most. She thought back on the years that she had struggled through without any support. Only Gohan had survived and he had spent most of his time training so that he could defeat the androids. They had lost touch long ago. Indeed she had been truly alone from the day the androids had succeeded in killing the Z-warriors and her parents. It had been sixteen painful years of raising Trunks by herself without help from anyone. Yet for a while he had filled the gaping hole in her heart. She had succeeded in raising a fine boy and in doing so she knew that she had ended her own happiness. He had grown up and had begun to move on with his life as all children do. She would soon be left alone again.

Looking at Vegeta she saw the life that she could have had flash before her eyes if not for the androids. She saw a closed, but still caring husband who wouldn't express his affections much. Yet, he was a husband whom she could place her faith in and who would love her unquestioningly even as she grew old. Together they would have a young son who would grow up with family and friends and didn't have the haunted eyes that she saw in her own son, another daughter who was her twin and whom loved her father more than anything, and friends who would lay their own lives down for them.

Bitterness, resentment, and loneliness welled up within her until she burned with a cold fire. All she wanted was someone to love her, to hold her, to cherish her. Was that too much to ask? After all hadn't she done her best to help other people? Didn't she even go to another world to help save hers? Yet, she knew that just happened in fairytales. There were no rewards for good deeds in reality. No, real life was like hers, bitter, lonely, and most of all unfair. The sweet pain that had been threatening to overcome her finally did. She closed her eyes as she fell into blissful consciousness and in doing so caused a single tear to slip from her eyes.

* * *

Emperor Vegeta of the Galactic Imperium stared at the blue haired woman that lay unconscious in the bed before him. _I should simply kill her_ , he thought to himself. Yet, something within him wouldn't permit him to do so. He knew that this was the woman who had brought him to his knees on Chikyuu. Never before had he hated anyone as much as he hated her, not even Freeza. She had taken everything from him, his honor, his pride, and then had flung it all back into his face when she chose that weakling human over him. Even after thirty years he could remember their last conversation.

_"Woman, what are you doing with that pathetic Earthling?"_

_"I'm giving Yamcha another chance Vegeta. I think he's really changed and I still love him."_

_"And me? What we did was nothing to you woman?"_

_"Geez Vegeta, It was only sex. We were bored and so we had sex. I didn't realize it meant something to you. Come on we're just friends."_

_"Only had sex for a year?"_

_"I needed to get my fix from somewhere. If I didn't know better Vegeta I'd think you actually care."_

_"You flatter yourself. I couldn't give a damn about you."_

_"Well then you shouldn't give a damn about me going out with Yamcha."_

_"You are mine now and I will not let that pathetic human take what is mine."_

_"Who do YOU think YOU ARE?" she had shouted at him._

_"I am the Prince of all Saiyans and your mate."_

_"You're nothing but the prince of a dead race of monkeys. You don't own me and I will never ever be a possession for you. Go mate with yourself."_

_"I'd rather mate with you," he said as he moved closer to her. It was a peace offering and she knew it. They had ended countless arguments over the past year in this manner. _

_"I told you to go fuck yourself," she screamed at him as she pushed away from him walking away, "and I meant it." After she was a good distance away from him she turned back to face him._

_"Look, Vegeta, I care about you and all, but I'm still in love with Yamcha. I think its best we end whatever relationship you think we have right now ok?"_

_"Fine woman, but you will come back to me…" He was sure that she cared about him as much as he cared about her. Over the last year he had somehow warmed up to her as he had never done for anyone before. They had shared a lot in the past year. He had opened up past of his past to her that he had told no one before. She had done the same or so he thought."_

_"You are way too cocky for your own good Vegeta." Those had been the last words she had ever said to him._

Later that night she had gone out with Yamcha and had done the deed with him. He knew, he could smell it on her and it had turned his stomach to the point that he could not tolerate it anymore. It had snapped whatever budding relationship he had begun with her. He had not spoken to her again. The next day later he had left planet Chikyuu and never looked back.

Now he looked upon the face of the woman he had fallen in love with. The only creature that he had ever cared about in the universe until he had begun his drive to unite the remnants of Freiza's Empire. He was still in love with her, however much he tried to deny it. He knew it, and hated her for it. Reaching out he touched a strand of blue hair, and found it as soft as it always had been. Her skin, too, still felt like silk to him, and made him burn with a desire that he had quenched for over three decades. She had changed though. He had seen it in the eyes that had stared up at him in his audience chamber. They had not been filled with fear even though she had been pinned on the floor and gagged. No, instead, they had been filled with a yearning desire and the look that she had given had been full of hope and love. It had been a look that demanded acknowledgement whether. It had been one of the difficult things he had ever accomplished in keeping a mask of indifference in place. However, he had been forced to do it. If any one of the power hungry politicians in the room had detected even a hint of weakness in him, they would have snatched up on it in an instant. She was not a weakness he could afford, especially in this time of crisis.

_Yes, I should kill her now. It would be best._ He took a step back from her bedside. They were in a private room in his Imperial Palace and he had dismissed all the servants so that he could look upon her without hiding any of his emotions. Raising his hands he began to form the Ki ball that would take her life. He held it there for what seemed an eternity as love and hate warred within him. Finally, he steeled himself for the inevitable. Closing his eyes he whispered, "Bulma, I still love you."


	3. Chapter Three: Coup de Tat

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Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.  
A Brief Moment in Time  
Chapter 3: Coup de tat

Bulma opened her eyes to the sight of Vegeta standing before her struggling with his resolve. At first she was shocked and confused. It wasn't a dream. He's really alive. I really did cross dimensions. She was about to say something when Vegeta raised his hand and powered up a Ki blast. Instinctively she knew that the blast was meant for her. She could feel a sense of horror begin to well up from deep within her at the thought of dieing, but years of living in fear and not knowing when she would die from the androids had prepared her well for the moment before she would finally leave the realm of the living. Bulma suppressed the feeling of horror with practiced ease and her fiery spirit made one last valiant attempt to reassert itself. _That Bastard, He's the same egotistical ruthless murderer. I'll…_ However, looking at him her heart failed. It was the last thing she had ever expected, to die at the hands of the man she loved. It was in a way, crushing. The fire that lit into her was extinguished as fast as it had come. No more than a final gasp from the soul of a woman who had been beaten down one too many times in her life. Tired, she thought, I'm so tired of life. At least it will soon be over. Regretfully, she closed her eyes to await her destiny.

"Bulma, I still love you."

His words seared away the gray fog of regret that hung in her mind. For her it was something she would have never expected him to admit ever in any circumstance. Yet, here he had just whispered the words that she had always wanted to hear from him. Looking up she could see a faint sheen of moisture in his eyes as he continued to struggle with himself. Tears? Regret? This is not the Vegeta I knew. Could a part of him truly have loved me? She couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of it all. Here in her last moments of life she had discovered that perhaps just perhaps that Vegeta had the capability to love her and that she had failed to bring it out. Again she looked up, this time making eye contact with him. She forced herself to give him a smile. It was one of those smiles that a person makes when their heart is breaking apart on the inside, when they have learned that a loved one had passed or when they find out about an act of betrayal from one whom they trusted absolutely. It was a weak, sickly smile that conveyed all the hurt and sorrow that she had penned up within her for almost two decades. Her eyes brimmed with tears, and yet and yet she did not shed one. She was now determined to die as she had lived, in dignity and with self-respect, not a broken shell of a woman.

Vegeta prepared to unleash the blast that would finally put to rest a chapter of his life that he had thought long closed. An instant before he released his ki, he saw her look up at him with her deep blue eyes. The look stopped him in his tracks. All coherent thought vanished from his mind as memories long suppressed came to haunt him. He remembered their time together during those all too brief years that he had remained on Chikyuu. The barbed comments tinged with a sort of affection, the silent walk through an orchard laced with the soft touch of an early winter snow, a night spent on a remote forest covered island in the north of the world gazing upon stars, and revealing secrets long buried in the depths of his mind. He could almost smell the sharp scent of sweat after a night of passionate revelry and feel the cool caresses of the western wind flowing across the contours of their melded bodies. These memories poured, like a raging river, through his mind smashing the barriers he had long kept in place. Unable to keep his ki controlled his blast dissipated into thin air.

He looked at her, then. He could see her smile her mirthless smile. Vegeta could not miss the sadness that emanated from the woman before him. She had changed, and not just slightly. Three decades ago, he knew her as a vibrant, self-assured woman, yet prone to moments of panic when situations that she could not deal with arose. The woman he remembered had an outgoing, bold and striking beauty. It had been bright, fiery, and had reflected the character of her spirit. Now before him stood the same woman. He could not mistake her appearance, let alone her ki. He knew it as well as he knew his own even after all these years. Yet, she was so different. She had not panicked at the sight of him ready to kill her, and he knew she did not mistake his intent. Despite being on the verge of death she had held herself up with dignity and had not even flinched. She had been cool, calm, and collected. These were not words that could have been used to describe the Bulma of Namek. Her looks had also changed. She no longer possessed a bright and striking beauty as she did in her youth. Rather, it was now subtle and suppressed. That she was still stunning as a middle-aged woman was undeniable. But where she once had the fiery beauty of a burning spirit under the hot globe of noon, now it was a refined beauty that shone like cool, quiet starlight. Her eyes were wells of deep sorrow and loneliness that glimmered with tears. And yet, she held them under complete control, for not a single tear fell. Vegeta and Bulma held each other in their respective gazes for a long moment trying to gleam a spark that could ignite a reunion of sorts. In the end they failed for both were still wary of the other and the memories were raw in their minds. Bulma lowered her head and broke eye contact with the Saiyan Prince. It was a victory of sorts for her since she had gotten to live through the day, yet in a way she wished that she hadn't, for Vegeta had dredged up the years of sorrow and loneliness from the inner recesses of her mind.

"Bulma," she heard him say. His voice was his usual one - low, crisp, and abrupt. "You will do what is necessary to return yourself to your home. I will see that your needs are provided for. Hope that our paths do not cross again."

With that said Vegeta turned and began to walk out the door of the small room. As he did this, he expected her to break. A part of him wanted to see her break, to see her suffer the sweet agonizing pain of heartbreak as he had suffered it. Her response was hardly one that he was expecting.

"Thank you Vegeta," was all she said as her eyes bored into this broad muscular back. Vegeta merely grunted and left the room, and though he may have physically left the room, his thoughts were most definitely still with a blue haired woman who sat quietly in thought in the middle of clean, Spartan room.

* * *

_Later that day… _

"M'lady?" said a young human soldier as he walked in with a plate of food, "I've brought you some food." He was over six foot tall and probably weighed a solid two hundred and twenty pounds. Though it was difficult to judge since muscle mass weighs much more than fat. He had sandy blond hair, green eyes and wore a black skin suit under his white armor. "Thank you," replied Bulma hastily. She had still been lost in thought and had no idea how much time had elapsed since Vegeta had visited her. Suddenly she realized she was extremely hungry. Picking up a fork she quickly began to devour the food. After a few moments she noticed that the soldier had not left the room. "Are you suppose to be here?" she inquired politely. She appreciated his bringing her food but she really didn't want to see anyone right now. "The Emperor ordered me to see to your needs m'lady," answered the soldier, "I'm also your bodyguard. It's a dangerous world these days."

"Really? Well how about you answer some questions for me. umm What's your name?"

"Saxon. m'lady and ummm sorry about earlier," said the soldier hesitantly. He had shoved the gag in her mouth when he had thought she had been an assassin and that really was a bad way to start off an acquaintanceship.

"Earlier? I don't believe I've met you. Anyway tell me. are you human? You look human," asked Bulma curiously .

"I am human, m'lady, from Chikyuu itself. Though I consider Imperia-sei home now."

"Really! From Chikyuu? Humans live here?" asked Bulma. She was thoroughly intrigued now with the situation of this universe. Somehow man-kind had managed to get out into space and be a part of some form of empire. Oh and please stop calling me m'lady."

"Yes. The first humans out in space were the Capsule Expedition led by Krillan no Koremochi to Namek. Not much is known about it but it's the first voyage of humans out into deep space. Some ten years ago some adventurers from the Empire stumbled onto Chikyuu and it's been protectorate since then."

"What's a protectorate, like a state or province?"

"Oh no. A protectorate is a place that is like a world that is under the empire's protection but not a part of it. It's definitely not a province, but a lot of Chikyuu-jins are merchants and soldiers in the empire. You're a human too right?"

"Yes I am. I've seemed to suffer some memory loss so I'm trying to figure out what's going on," lied Bulma smoothly. She didn't want to let people know that dimensional travel was possible since it might cause damage to this continuum. Bulma knew that Trunks would probably be working feverishly to find a way to get her back so she decided that the best thing to do was to stick around and maybe even see some sights. It had been a long time since she had done anything just for fun or even went as a tourist somewhere. "Do more humans live out here?" she continued.

"Quite a few serve in the Imperial military but only a few live here on Imperia-sei. There are a few of us with ki in the service of the Emperor and there's a small merchant quarter down in the city. Most of us here are here to stay though. There's very little traffic between here and Chikyuu."

"Oh. interesting. Well do you think you can show me around the city, Saxon?" she asked sweetly, "I've never been here and would like to see some things."

"Sure m'la.. Umm." He didn't know what to call her since she had not asked him not to address her in a formal manner and he didn't know her name.

"Oh I'm sorry my name is..." Bulma didn't finish as she suddenly realized that she had been quite famous prior to the androids coming to the world. If there were no androids and humanity had made it to the stars then wouldn't she be one of the leaders? If she gave this young man her real name he could possibly recognize it. "My name is Eiko Ikegami."

"Well Eiko, where would you like to go?" Bulma, aka Eiko, simply smirked. "I'd like to go take a look at the shopping district." Saxon's reaction to this was quite predictable. A look of horror crossed his face as he knew that hours of walking and carrying things now loomed in his future. Bulma let out a small chuckle at this. "Do me a favor Saxon and keep your eye out for a young human man with lavender hair. He's my son and he's supposed to meet with me before I head home."

"Sure Mrs. Ikegami. Oh. umm I hate to ask this but do you think you could do me a favor since you are heading for Chikyuu?" He asked with a young man's pleading eyes. A look that was very hard for older people to resist. Bulma suddenly realized that he thought that her home was Chikyuu. Of course her home was Chikyuu, it was just Chikyuu in a different dimension.

"If it's possible for me to accomplish."

"Oh. I was hoping you could drop these two letters off at the nearest post office when you got to Chikyuu. Imperial mail to Chikyuu is rare and far between, no one really heads out that way much. Anyway it's my little sister's wedding in two months and I've managed to get leave to see her get married. One's for her telling her that I'm coming and the other is just a hello to my parents. Please can you drop these off?"

"Sure," she said before even realizing it. She decided that she could go to Chikyuu as soon as Trunks found her. The two of them could take a nice family vacation and check out some sights before they took the time machine home. She could drop off the letters and as long as they didn't meet anyone they knew, they would be fine.

"Thanks a lot Mrs. Ikegami," said the young soldier now thoroughly enthused. "and I know just a place where a lady like yourself would love to go shopping. I need to pick out a gift for my sister too. Kill two birds with one stone as they say back home." "Ok Saxon calm down," Bulma laughed. It was amazing how something little could sometimes bring such joy to those far from home. Bulma put her food tray to the side and got up to follow him out the door.

"Did Vegeta give me any money?"

"Vegeta? Who's that?" asked the puzzled Soldier.

"Oh. I meant the Emperor," said Bulma not understanding why the soldier was puzzled by the use of Vegeta's name.

"Oh, the Emperor. So that's his name. Heh, don't worry I can keep my mouth shut. Yeah, he said anything you wanted you were to get so I'm sure we can write it off as a governmental expense."

"I see," smirked Bulma, "Well I guess we'll have to get your sister something nice then right?" She nudged him with her elbow and watched him break into the silliest grin. Chuckling, she closed the door behind her and followed the young soldier.

"Now why doesn't anyone know the Emperor's name?"

"Oh. I have no idea. He's just the Emperor, proper noun of course." he replied. As they walked down the hall they continued to chat about the workings of the empire and other less important things. Together they walked out for an afternoon of merriment.

* * *

_While Bulma and Sgt. Saxon were shopping…_

"Your Imperial Majesty," came the chorus from the room as Vegeta entered. He walked quickly to his throne and stood before it resplendent in his regalia. His armor was gray white, yet it was polished to such a degree that it reflected the light in the room. A red cape flowed around his shoulders and his blue skin suit was made out of the finest materials known to man. He wore his usual white gloves and white boots. The throne itself was modest and slightly Spartan. Yet, it was modest in a manner that exuded power. The ceiling was studded with diamonds; each representing a planet of the empire and the walls were carved from aphanitic rock. Though the decoration was modest the room was large. It was about the size of a city block and could be filled with hundreds of people.

At the moment there were quite a few less people. There were about thirty or so of Vegeta's senior counselors and twenty of his praetorian guards. "Report on the Orion conspiracy," commanded Vegeta to the room.

"Your majesty we are still working around the clock to find the other conspirators," said a pink scaly type of creature that looked quite a lot like Dodoria.

"Your majesty the only thing we know about them is that they have destroyed four planets. There is no motive, no methodology, nothing," said another orange humanoid with gray hair. He was not stupid. He looked carefully at the Emperor hoping that he could spot the warning signs that meant the Emperor was about to lose his temper.

"Your majesty," said a third councilor, "the Orion conspiracy is the least of our worries. We have serious unrest in some of the provinces amongst the nobility. Your policies that promote the commoner's cause have been very unpopular. Some of our vassals are even at the point of outright revolt."

"SILENCE," shouted Vegeta as he shook with anger. "All of you are worthless. I've asked you before to find solutions for these problems, yet all of you come running to me like children for answers." Turning to the last councilor who spoke, Vegeta said, "If the nobles are becoming unruly then purge them and put some others in power. Take whatever men that are necessary and go to the trouble zones and take care of it."

"Now as for you two, I expect something more than 'we are still working on it' from your pathetic selves. You know the consequences for failure."

"Yyesss. your majesty," said the two councilors. Vegeta quickly continued the audience with consultations with other councilors and ministers. Some had completed tasks and others needed more funding or troops. After twenty minutes of issuing orders and redistributing resources he noticed a guardsman running up to him.

"Your majesty, Dr. Myuu and General Bojack are requesting audience. They have some people with them."

"What do they want?" said Vegeta in a very irritated voice.

"What we want your Majesty is to give you information about the Orion conspiracy," came the voice of Dr. Myuu as he strode into the imperial audience chamber. Next to him walked the elite soldiers of General Bojack as well as the general himself.

"What is the meaning of this? How dare you walk into my presence without my permission," shouted Vegeta as battle flared around him. He fully intended to blast these insolent scoundrels into oblivion. General Bojack walked forward. He was a large man with blue green skin. Though he wore an imperial uniform there was a slight change in it. For instead of the mark of Vegeta-sei that each general carried he had three stars and a sword as his symbol. In addition to this he wore a bandana that held back his orange hair.

"Emperor," he sneered, "I walk where I wish and you do not have the power to stop me." Forming a ki blast he annihilated several of the councilors known to be extremely loyal to Vegeta. "Zangya, Buujin seize him. Bido, Gokuya kill those guardsmen."

"Yes master Bojack," chorused the four minions. Two of the blue green skinned aliens that accompanied Bojack into the throne room immediately attacked the guards that were beginning to move into action. They annihilated them before ten seconds were out. Before Vegeta could act to support his men he felt his arms being ensnared by some sort of ki thread. They were forcibly pulled outwards to his side and he hung their suspended for a second. Summoning his ki and rage he intended to transform into a Super Saiyan and rid the world of General Bojack. However, before he could complete the transformation he felt something click around his neck. Vegeta felt his transformation stop cold.

"You see Emperor," said Dr. Myuu, "that is a transformation halting collar. It prevents you from transforming into your golden form and without that transformation you are powerless."

"Hmmph. he is no match for me or any of mine even at his maximum power," scoffed Bojack, "You see Emperor. Nineteen years ago I was freed from my prison that had kept me imprisoned nigh ten thousand years. I have waited this time to conquer the galaxy. It was quite kind of you to set up the mechanism in which I will control it."

"You don't think you have won yet do you?" smirked Vegeta as he remained bound by the ki wires around his wrists. Without being able to transform into SSJ he barely had the strength to even struggle against the ki of Bojack's team.

"Oh, troops loyal to me have already begun to land and purge this world of your followers. I've been planning this for a long time Emperor and I've covered all the options." Before he finished he found himself under fire from loyalist troops, turning he powered up and slew the members of the guard that had dared to attack him from behind. However, it was not before a blast from the guards struck Buujin in the rear of his head causing him to drop his hold on Vegeta for an instant. An instant was all he needed. Using his free hand he powered a blast and threw it at Zangya, who dropped her hold to block his blast.

Powering up, Vegeta blasted through the ceiling into the open sky. "Gallic Gun," he shouted as he fired a massive blast towards his own palace. To his horror a massive blast came upwards and intercepted his. Bojack's blast negated his own and Vegeta barely had time to dodge it. A moment later he saw himself inches from his general.

"You are nothing," laughed Bojack as he struck Vegeta with a powerful blow sending him crashing downwards into the city. Slowly he descended to finish off the Emperor and claim his new empire.

* * *

Bulma and Saxon were in the midst of a late lunch. It had been a hard day for shopping as there seemed to be lots of people out and about but they had succeeded in purchasing pretty much everything Bulma wanted.

"So tell me how did you learn about ki?" Bulma asked the young soldier.

"Oh. I trained with the Ox King for a little while. I met him through a friend of my father's, the legendary baseball player Yamcha." Bulma almost choked on her coffee when she heard this. She was extremely glad now that she hadn't told him her real name as he would have most definitely recognized it if he had had dealings with Yamcha.

"Do you know Ox King's daughter and son in law?"

"Oh yeah. I've met them once or twice. Chichi and her husband Goku are really nice people. Goku even gave me a few lessons. He's a really great fighter."

"Heh. that's definitely true," she said whimsically as memories began to un- cloud for her.

"What about you.what do you do? How do you know the Emperor. woah did you know him on Chikyuu?" Bulma wasn't sure how she was going to answer this. She had really begun to take a liking in this young man. He was outgoing, intelligent, and an excellent conversationalist. She really didn't want to lie to him, but it seemed that she had no choice. "I'm an inventor and yes I knew the emperor on Chikyuu."

"Wow... how was he-" before he could finish his earpiece went off. "Attention all companies. attention all companies we have a condition Delta. I repeat we have condition Delta. This is not a drill." Saxon leapt to his feet. "DENDE KAMI!"

He quickly scanned the area for Ki and found the Emperor's much lower than he expected. Arrayed against him were some seriously massive power sources. He knew that the emperor couldn't win and the only option was flight. Suddenly he saw a streak of light flying towards them.

"GET DOWN EVERYONE," he shouted. Many people just turned and looked at him in utter confusion but quite a few, the smart ones at least, dropped to the ground. A few seconds a body crashed into the concrete flooring near where lunch was being held. Saxon got up immediately and ran towards the crash site. He barely noticed that Eiko was following him as quickly as she could. Coming to the crash site he could see that it was the Emperor. Quickly he jumped into the crater and check to see if he was alive. Vegeta was, but was he was unconsciousness. Picking the Emperor up, Saxon carried him out of the crater and laid him on the ground close by. Bulma too came running up and when she saw Vegeta lying on the ground, she felt her heart clench. She dropped onto her knees and immediately checked if he was alive. Meanwhile Saxon stood staring at the sky in the direction that Vegeta had been thrown from.

"Eiko. I have to ask you for another favor."

"Saxon?"

"Can you take the Emperor to the space docks and see if someone can take him off planet? I have to hold this guy off so you can have the time." What he didn't say was that he had to destroy the scouter that the general had in his possession. Without the scouter they wouldn't be able to find the Emperor in time. However, with it. the chances of the Emperor living were next to none.

"Whatever did this to Vegeta will destroy you Saxon. You can't just throw your life away!" cried Bulma in shock.

"I'm not throwing my life away Eiko. I'm giving it so that my Emperor can live. Please tell my family that I love them." With that said the young man from Chikyuu flew upwards into the sky to go battle an enemy that was hundreds upon hundreds of times stronger than he was leaving Bulma alone with Vegeta's battered body.

Bulma couldn't believe what was happening. She, however, did not hesitate. Spotting the nearest air car she quickly accommodated it from its owner. Dragging Vegeta's body into the passenger seat she quickly powered up the car and drove off at maximum speed towards the space docks.

* * *

While Bulma was racing towards the docks with Vegeta, Saxon was racing towards Bojack. He knew that he had no chance but he thought he could succeed in his mission if he played his cards right.

"General Bojack. Traitor!" he shouted as Bojack came into hearing distance.

Bojack looked at the source of the taunt and saw that it was a mere boy. Discounting him he continued to descend towards Vegeta's impact point intent on finishing the emperor off. Saxon noticed that he hadn't been able to get the General's attention at all. He powered up as much as he could and phased to a position right in front of the General.

"Don't discount me General. I'm from Chikyuu and more powerful than you could imagine. Why don't you see for yourself?"

Bojack frowned at the audacity of the young man. However, he could not detect Ki levels. The boy's smooth confidence and demeanor made him wonder if he did have a powerful ki. Not that it would matter since he would kill the boy regardless. He was after all one of the most powerful beings in the universe. Yet his curiosity had been aroused. Slowly he drew out his scouter and attached it to his face. Locking onto the boy it began to assess his potential. The final score was 6300. "Boy you have no power. You have no chance against me," spoke Bojack as he began to power up to destroy the kid.

"I don't need a chance. I just need to do this," said Saxon as he brought his hands up to his face, "SOLAR FLARE." The light that surged forward blinded Bojack for a moment, and that moment was all that Saxon needed as he burst forward and threw a punch with all his might at Bojack. It connected to Bojack's right eye and, not surprisingly, it didn't harm Bojack in the least. It did, however, smash the scouter to bits and pieces. Flying backwards after his initial success Saxon began to power up another ki blast in hopes of slowing Bojack even further.

"KAME HAME HA!" he shouted as he blasted Bojack with all his might. The explosion when the blast hit Bojack was enormous and dust was everywhere. However, when it cleared Bojack still stood there completely unharmed by the blast with an evil frown on his face. The next thing Saxon knew was Bojack's fist sticking through his chest and as the life began to flow from him he whispered a brief prayer, "Dende be with you Eiko."

* * *

Bulma arrived at the space docks some five minutes after Saxon died. He had succeeded in buying her time so that she could make it to the space port with Vegeta, though it was quite a heavy price. She slowly began to look for a ship that might be able to get them out of there. Coming to a pier with a sleek looking vessel with several crew members working on it, she got out and approached them. "Hi. Can I speak to the captain of this vessel please?" she shouted up at them. A moment later a burly man came up to her and asked her what she wanted. "I'd like passage for two out of here."

"Lady are you crazy? Do you know what's going on up there?" asked the man.

"No... Actually I don't," Bulma replied curtly.

"There's a massive battle going on up there, star cruisers and frigates are battling each other. There's no way any captain will take you up now."

Bulma simply frowned and then nodded turning around she got back into the car and drove off. Thirty minutes and five captains later she was frustrated. Not one of them would leave for space at this moment because of the battle between rebel and loyalist forces. She put her head against the wheel and closed her eyes for a second to think.

"Woman where am I?"

"Vegeta! You're awake," she exclaimed, "You're at the space port. I'm trying to figure out a way to get us off this planet so you won't be killed. Vegeta simply frowned and then grabbed at the collar around his throat. Yet, no matter how he tried he couldn't get it off.

"DAMN IT, If I could transform into a super saiyan I'd be able to destroy these rebels myself."

Bulma looked at him with a confused look. She decided that she could ask later. Right now she needed to find them a way off the planet. She got out of the car and looked around and noticed a ship that might just work. It was an octopus shaped ship that looked extremely strange. However, there was something else that caught her attention. It had a Capsule Corporation logo. That meant that she could possibly break into the ship and that it had hyperspace capabilities since it was impossible for a ship to get here from Chikyuu without it. Ducking back into the car she looked frantically around for some type of cover so that she could hide or perhaps even disguise Vegeta in. Unfortunately all she found were a few blankets.

"Wrap these around yourself so no one will recognize you and follow me," she said as she helped him get out of the car. Vegeta quickly complied since he was really in no shape to argue. Bulma slowly helped Vegeta to the entrance of the ship. Setting him down she walked up to the security panel. In her timeline she had never changed Capsule Corporations override code—it never had been necessary. Then code was something that she had kept from everyone else and she doubted that the Bulma of this time was any different. Quickly she punched in the code that would give her complete control of the ship. It beeped and successfully authenticated and the secondary measures came up.

"Please prepare for retinal and voice scan."

"Voice scan begin."

"Bulma Briefs," she said in a strong and clear voice.

"Voice scan complete. Authenticated."

"Begin Retinal Scan."

Bulma placed her eye over a small tube.

"Retinal Scan complete. Authenticated. Welcome Bulma." Smiling, she quickly went back and helped Vegeta to his feet. After carrying him into the ship's cockpit she sat down and quickly began to familiarize herself with the schematics. "Vegeta, where the hell should I take you?"

"Take me to Sirrus 4. My people there have good technology and are quite loyal. They should be able to help me remove this stupid collar," said Vegeta in a weak and hazy voice.

Bulma nodded and quickly began the take off sequence. Immediately she could feel the inertia drive her back into her seat as the octopus like vessel streaked upwards into the atmosphere. As the ship left the atmosphere and entered space Bulma could see the fighting and the results of the fighting going on. Huge ships were streaking across the vacuum of the void trying to outmaneuver each other and blast each other into oblivion. She checked the radar and suddenly knew that she was in big trouble. She was headed straight into one of the firefights and there was nothing she could do about it since it was just too close.

"This is Captain Norfolk of the Imperial Star Cruiser Justice. Identify yourselves," came a voice from the communication panel.

Bulma had no idea what to say. She didn't know if these were rebels or loyalists. It was not a good situation. Looking over at Vegeta she knew that he couldn't answer because if these were rebels then they'd blow them out of space in a second. It was chance they couldn't take. "My name is Eiko Ikegami. I'm a merchant from Chikyuu trying to get home and out of all this craziness."

"For whom are you carrying cargo for? Turn on your Vid Screen," said the voice in a tone that did not allow for argument.

Bulma looked to make sure that Vegeta was out of the viewing range and turned on the screen. She noted that the man had asked 'for whom' and not 'what' cargo she was carrying. Perhaps the captain was onto something. "I'm carrying letters from a Guardsman by the name of Saxon to his family."

"Letters?"

"That's right I said letters," she repeated.

"If you're carrying something that has been entrusted to you by guardsman then you better hurry to the hyper point. We'll keep these rebel scum busy."

"Will do," she replied. She checked her display again and hissed. It was happening again. She could see four ships heading to intercept her and then Captain Norfolk's ship moving to intercept them.

"Thank you, Captain," she said, "Good luck, but remember your mission. Don't die for nothing."

"Good luck to you too Eiko." came the response and then static. Three minutes later Bulma reached over and pulled a switch that caused the entire ship to shudder as they jumped into hyperspace and into temporary safety.

On Captain Norfolk's battered ship the surviving officers and crewmembers watched the display and cheered as the ship blinked and then disappeared.

"Captain are you sure that ship was carrying the Emperor?" asked the helmsman and first officer simultaneously.

"Yes. I can sense ki and the emperor's ki was on that ship." A blast suddenly rocked the ship. Red Klaxons began to go off and automatic repair systems tried to shut off areas of the ship where decompression had occurred.

"Sir. Permission to set course for the nearest rebel ship," said the helmsman, "I bet we can take a few of the bastards out with us." The captain didn't answer for a moment as he pondered the woman's last words. Finally after another blast rocked the ship, he gave his order.

"Permission denied. Helmsman surrender the ship."

"SIR?"

"You heard me helmsman. You've done your job admirably. Now, it's time to do mine, 'to make sure that you don't die for nothing'. So surrender this ship."

"Yesss sir."

_Eiko Ikegami. I wish you the best of luck._

* * *

_One day after the escape… _

The bar was a seedy one but rather popular amongst the off duty crew of the various merchant carriers that regularly docked in the poorer part of the spaceport. All types of characters sat around drinking some form of alcoholic concoction and gossiping about the coup. It had been a shock to some, but for most people it didn't really matter as long as business kept on as usual. It was into this bar that a young woman with black hair went for information. The reason for this was simply because that her ship had been docked not two 'piers' down. She'd needed to get off planet fast, but since someone had committed the error of filching her ship, she now needed some information. Someone who was here had to have seen the person who had taken off with her ship.

She was five feet seven inches tall and had black eyes that matched her hair. She was attired in a red shirt and jeans and had an orange bandana tied around her belt. Her muscles were sleek and tone and her legs long. It was obvious to the average person that she kept in shape, but to the those who had a finer eye, she was also someone who was immensely dangerous. Every step she took was minimalist and calculating. She moved with an aura of danger around her. Yet, despite that, she didn't look to be more than twenty years of age. The woman also didn't come in alone. Behind her was a much taller creature that looked quite like a cream puff. It was fat and wore a cape that was tied around its neck and white baggy pants. The most significant feature about it was that its entire body was a bright pink color. She slammed the door behind her and walked over to where the music was playing. Walking up on the stage she grabbed the singer and threw her, maybe he, or, since it wasn't at all human, it off.

"Listen up cretins," she said in a voice laced with disdain, "I know one of you saw who took my ship and one of you were probably behind it. I don't find this funny at all. If you don't tell me who it was in thirty seconds I'm going to start breaking fingers."

The room was silent for a moment before pandemonium broke out.

"Hey Pan who do you think you are?" yelled a patron who knew her from business dealings.

"You think you can take all of us bitch?" yelled another person.

"I'm going to give the bitch what she needs, that's right!" screamed a large man who obviously had had a few too many drinks. The lust in his eyes as he looked Pan was clearly noticable.

Other shouts and insults came at her from various corners of the bar. A few smarter patrons who knew her from past dealings quietly tried to slip out of the bar only to find the big pink thing blocking their way.

"Sorry Buu. I think I'll just go back and sit at that table over there. Is that ok with you?" said one of the smarter patrons who had tried to get away.

"Buu like you. You smart. Go sit," replied Buu in his usual high-pitched voice. The man simply shook his head. How can something that looks like BUU and has a voice like that be so powerful? The universe truly works in mysterious ways. Unfortunately this man was in the minority. Several others, perhaps emboldened by alcohol, began to approach the stage. Usually Pan would have tried to avoid such confrontations or try to talk them out of it. After all her father had always said that violence was suppose to be used as a last resort. However, she was in a really bad mood as anyone would if they had their spaceship stolen. So she simply hopped down from the stage and punched the first man in the gut causing him to double over and promptly pass out in pain. A second man tried to hit her while she was taking care of the first one. Pan simply reached out and grabbed his wrist. With a twist of her own she simply flipped the man upside down and onto the floor. The third man who had gotten up and shouted at her began to back away from her.

"So does anyone want to tell me who decided to steal my ship?"

"Jesus Pan. It wasn't anyone of us," cried one of the men who knew her from past experience.

"Oh then maybe it was the tooth fairy. She needed to make some extra runs so she decided to steal a hyper capable ship."

"Pan it some blue haired woman and something that was totally covered up!" shouted another man. "It didn't even look like she stole the ship. She just walked up and typed something into the security, and walked in."

"That's impossible. You are lying to me Jobe. I'm going to."

"Excuse me, miss. Pan right? I don't think he's lying," came a well-mannered voice that obviously didn't belong in this type of atmosphere. Turning she found herself looking at a stunning man. His face was beautiful and masculine. His lavender hair seemed to frame it as if it were a portrait. The man was well built and was wearing a purple Capsule Corporation Jacket with black pants and a black undershirt.

"And just who are you and how do you know this?" shot Pan angrily at the man.

"Well." turning to the man who had told Pan that it was a blue haired woman Trunks asked, "Hey what was she wearing? And give me a better description."

"She was wearing a pink blouse with red pants. She had long blue hair and damn she was fine. I thought she was Bulma Briefs herself for a moment before I realized that she couldn't have been that old."

"Thanks. That's just what I needed to know," said the lavender haired youth. Turning to Pan, "Can you track your ship?"

"Of course, Buu can find the ship anywhere in the universe. The thing is we need another ship and permission to leave. It's kinda hard with the change in leadership and all."

"Well. I'm looking for this blue haired woman and I need some help. I can probably get us a ship, you interested?"

"You need me to track my ship so you can find this woman?"

"That's right."

"And what happens when we find them?"

"Well. We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

"How are you going to pay for this ship or do you have one already?" asked Pan.

"Well I have these." said the man as he pulled out a capsule. Clicking it a bag fell out into his hands. Opening it, he pulled out several diamonds that were worth quite a large amount of cash.

"You think I can exchange enough of these for cash to buy us a ship?"

"Well. Maybe. We'll see, why don't we go find out?" said Pan, "What's your name by the way."

"Oh.my name is Trunks, and you are Pan?"

"Yeah. My name is Pan. My partner over here is Buu Satan," she smiled as she introduced Buu and herself. She couldn't help but find this man very attractive. Get a hold of yourself Pan. You just met this guy and you have no idea who he is or what he's really like. Another thought came to her also and she laughed, "I really didn't think that there would be two people in the world named Trunks. I guess it really is a small world."

"Umm yeah. I thought my name was rather unique as well," said Trunks quickly. He didn't like the fact that there would be more than one of him--again. He also didn't want to reveal who he was completely unless he had no choice.

"Yeah, the son of a friend of my dad's goes by the name of Trunks Briefs. Anyway why don't we get going?"

"Sure thing." With that Trunks followed Pan out of the bar in search of a ship that they could purchase to be able to pursue Vegeta and Bulma.


	4. Chapter Four: A Day in Infamy

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Author's Note: You may be confused as to what is going on at first as there is lots of military mumbo-jumbo in this chapter. The chapter is a setup for the 'Alterna-verse' that _A -Brief- Moment in Time _takes place in. Please bear with me for the minor tangent.

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 4: A Day in Infamy

_Sirrus Four, March 15, 794 AD. The day of the coup…_

Sirrus Four was the fourth planet that orbited Sirus, the North Star. The system comprised of five planets and was a strategic system near the border of the Empire and unknown space.The fourth planet from the star was habitable but it was nothing unusual in the countless worlds of the Imperium. The system itself, however, was very unique. Over the outermost planet of the system hung a gigantic space station. It's cyllinder shaped sphere housed thousands upon thousands of men and material. Sirrus Four was known throughout the Imperium not for its beauty or wealth, but for the fact that it was the home of the most famous of all the military forces of the Empire-it was home to the sixth fleet of the Imperium designated Victrix.Victrix was extremely famous for the exploration missions they conducted for the Empire. No one knew what lay out there in the vastness of space, and time and time again Victrix task forces had been sent out to open new and unexplored territories. The missions weren't always peaceful.The soldiers of Sixth fleet were a hardened bunch of veterans that were well versed in negotiation as well as purging missions. Yet, it was not just these missions that made them truly famous. The true reason for this lay in one person, their commanding officer, the Duke de Sirrus.

Their Leader was the stuff of legends. He was said to be the Emperor's personal apprentice. Despite knowing the Emperor personally, he had not been given any favoritism. At the age of eighteen he had entered the army as a young officer and had proceeded to distinguish himself time and time again. His rise up the ranks was meteoric and no one who had ever met him ever accused him of cronyism.

His deeds spoke for themselves. He had been the commanding Brigadier of a light infantry division when they made their fateful stand against an unexpected assault by Freeza's heirs. They had been ambushed and for two weeks they had held out on a strategic planet against almost twenty to one odds until they were relieved.

Afterwards he had been given command of an additional unit to command. He then had been the one to relieve the Emperor's Own when they had been trapped on Orion. He had always been a high ranking member of the Emperor's court and his success earned him more and more fame.

Finally, when Victrix had been formed and he given command, they had marched from one end of the sector to the other destroying the remaining warlords that had refused to acknowledge the Emperor's rule. They had lost battles, but never had they lost a campaign. Nor had they ever failed the Emperor. Their leader was a powerhouse in the Empire, second to only the Emperor himself in Ki. He was officially known as the Duke de Sirrus. Among the common folk and the soldiers, he was simply called the Saiyan. A mere thirty years of age he had an unprecedented amount of prestige in the empire. Some even whispered that he would be made Heir since the Emperor was childless. Yet, his fame and close ties with the Emperor made him a target, and Victrix would pay in blood.

On the fateful day of March 15th, Commander Jaric Sutherland was on duty on the Imperial Star Cruiser, _Erudite_. The cruiser was one of three hundred vessels in the fleet. Almost one hundred and fifty of which were idling or docked in space around Sirrus four. On this day the _Erudite _was returning from an overhaul at Space station Shikoku. They were simply just in the wrong place at the wrong time or perhaps the right place at the right time.

"Commander, I'm picking up lots of noise out there. It seems like there is almost an entire Strike Fleet out there heading this way," said his Sensor specialist with a hint of concern.

"Are they ours? I don't think Cooler could mount such an attack and pierce Fourth and Fifth fleet without us being notified," replied the Commander calmly. He was sure that there was a logical explanation to what was going on.

"Yeah, they look to be from fifth fleet. You don't think that something could have happened to send them here do you?" replied the specialist.

"Well from the readouts it seems that their ships are in tip top shape. I can't imagine them running from a battle without getting hurt," said Sutherland, "Well we'll go out and meet them. Mr. Sponse, send a message to the Vice Admiral and tell him we have company."

"Aye aye sir," replied Sponse. As the communications officer he was in charge of relaying messages from ship to ship or ship to HQ.

"Sir… something is wrong," cried Sponse, "What the… we are being jammed sir…"

"Sir! The ships from Fifth Fleet are launching fighters and lining up in battle formation sir… something isn't right here," came a cry from the tactical officer.

"This is some type of joke. I'll have their heads for this. Get shields up and break that damn jamming. Get me a direct line to one of the flagship of that task force now," commanded Sutherland. He was sure this was something ridiculous. However, he wasn't about to fail to take the minimal precautions.

"Sir, they aren't answering us sir. No response at all," came the news from communications.

"What the hell… ok back us up and head us towards the inner system. We have to get out of their jamming range and report this shit. The least I can do is turn their joke on them. They may find this funny in their outfit but I'm sure the Duke won't find it funny at all."

The crew quickly complied with his orders and the ship slowly turned and headed towards the inner star system. However, this maneuver caused a response from the incoming squadron. The ships from fifth fleet began to gain on the _Erudite_ for an obvious purpose.

"KAMI, SIR… WE HAVE INCOMING," screamed the tactical officer as he immediately began to prepare counter measures.

"WHAT? Are they firing on us?"

"Yes sir we have over THREE HUNDRED bogies coming in," said tactical with fear in his voice. He knew that they had no chance of stopping three hundred missiles.

"How long until impact?"

"Two minutes sir."

"Sponse can you break that jamming in two minutes?"

"No sir… I can't. They have our codes and are using them against us."

"Alright evasive actions… shields at maximize and let the oxygen loose."

"Sir… the oxygen?" asked a confused tactical.

"If we're going to blow up then we're going to go up big… Hopefully someone will notice the damn explosions. And god damn it keep trying to break that jamming!"

Two minutes later three hundred missiles came hurtling in at .6c. The _Erudites_ anti missiles system were swiftly overloaded and almost two hundred missiles crashed into the ship sending some fifteen hundred souls into the next dimension.

* * *

Victrix HQ - Sirrus Four… 

"MA'AM!" cried a young adjunct to Vice Admiral Emma Aethefel, the senior commander of Task Force 1.2 of Sixth Fleet.

"You don't need to shout Nelson. I'm not so old that I can't hear you," smiled the Admiral to her young officer. Emma had grown up in the service together with the Duke and they were pretty good friends. She had begun serving with him within three years of his own entrance of Imperial Service. They had met when she had been young brash LT who had been in command of one of the relief shuttles that had pulled the 19th Light out after almost fourteen days of hell. Apparently she had some how struck up a friendship with the younger Duke then and as he had risen in the ranks so had she. This was not to say that it was due to favoritism. She was extremely competent at her job. A daring tactician and excellent administrator she had been nick named "Frost", by most of her own people. Others had the tendency to call her the "Ice Queen." This was not only from her demeanor, but rather the cool that she always kept even in the most adverse situations. Her looks also didn't help the matter. She was of Celtic blood and her pale skin, white blond hair, and light blue eyes didn't help her dismiss the name. All in all, she didn't really mind the term. It suited her well.

"Sorry ma'am but our sensors picked up a massive explosion near the outer system. The pickets that were posted went to take a look and they haven't reported in. They should have ma'am. Something is going on," spit out the young man breathlessly. He had just received this post and was a junior lieutenant from Chikyuu. One interesting fact about the Victrix was that half of its composition were humans, all of whom had left Chikyuu for greater opportunity in space.

"Alright then… Tell Commodore Furizma to power his two squadrons up to battle readiness. We'll give it ten more minutes before we go to yellow alert."

"Yes Ma'am." The young officer quickly ran to carry out her orders.

She didn't like what was going on. Something inside of her told her that something was very wrong. That was the reason she had Furizma power up two squadrons. Those two together comprised of twenty-three vessels. Ten of which were Imperial Dreadnaughts, one of the most lethal vessels in the known universe. The other thirteen were Battlecruisers. With that much firepower he could hold off any force of raiders until the rest of the fleet could come down on them. She, like Captain Sutherland, couldn't fathom that a powerful fleet could strike at Sixth Fleet without Fourth and Fifth Fleet notifying them in advance. This was simply because Sixth Fleet was located on the other side of the empire from the border of Cooler's empire and they were the only other force in the known Universe that even possessed the technology to strike at Sixth Fleet.

Deciding to follow up on her feelings, she opened a com link with her aide. "Jim, I want a shuttle prepared for me. Tell my flag captain that I will be joining him on the _Tiberius_ in a few minutes," she ordered.

Fifteen minutes later she strode in on the bridge of her flagship. The_Tiberius_ was one of the newest ships in the Imperial Navy. She could see that the crew of the ship was busily carrying out their duties. She also noticed that her staff was patiently waiting for her orders.

"Status Report on the missing pickets?" she asked coolly.

"Ma'am the pickets are totaled. We just received news from a Fifth Fleet task force that they had been chasing a small squadron of Coolers ships that broke through the front lines. They have taken care of the problem and would like to enter the defense grid for supplies and repair," answered her chief of staff. His name was Arlis and was an insectoid type creature from the planet Arlia.

"Hmm… well we can't deny them that, it would be most discourteous. Grant them permission," she said without much thought. Her mind was still racing about how a squadron could have broken through the defense line. It really didn't make sense. "Captain Hartfoot," she addressed her flag captain, "Tell the flag squadron to power up. I want to take a look at the wreckage of the pickets and the enemy squadron. We'll leave as soon as I have spoken with the commander of this Fifth Fleet squadron."

She watched her view screen absentmindedly and watched the ships of fifth fleet slowly enter the defensive grid. It took a moment before something finally registered in her mind.

"Arlis, how many ships do you count there?" she asked. She wasn't sure if she was losing her mind.

"Hmm… Looks like… What the… fifty-five and umm thirty of them are Dreadnaughts?" boggled Arlis.

"Right… that's what I'm seeing. Riddle me this. What type of raiding squadron would require that much firepower to destroy… and if that much fire power was needed then our sensors would have picked up a battle of that magnitude," said the Admiral carefully. She really didn't like this but to order her entire squadron to battle stations would have been a total political insult to Fifth fleet. It would put her in very hot water with the Emperor and that wasn't something she wanted.

"Ma'am I'm counting seventy ships," came Captain Hartfoot's voice, "A full Imperial Strike Fleet."

Admrial Aethelfel sat slowly trying to decipher the puzzle before her. It was not normal that a full Strike Fleet would be sent half way across the Empire to hunt down a group of raiders. Her own forces could have handled the problem if they had been notified. This was very, very bizarre.

Suddenly before she finished her musings her screen lit up as red dots suddenly appeared streaking towards her fixed defensive positions.

"MA'AM that fleet just opened fire on our defense grid… MY GOD they totaled them."

Years of honed battle instinct immediately snapped the crew into place. They took their positions and looked at their commander waiting for orders. She did not disappoint them. Without any emotion passing over her face she acted quickly and decisively.

"Move our squadron to intercept anything that heads for the space dock, captain. Tell Commodore Furizma to jump into hyper space and the moment he gets there to open his red folder and commence Option Delta."

"Yes Ma'am… but I don't think commodore Furizma will like those orders. He won't want to run like a whipped dog."

"That's his problem. He will follow orders or be run up on charges. Tell me, do they have an interdictor1 out there?"

"Yes Ma'am… we won't be able to hyper out of here. Furizma is the only one far away enough because they were powered up before and went to check on the pickets."

"Good that's what I thought. Get every ship power upped and we are to protect the space dock at all costs. Got that? There are over 90 ships there and we will not lose a third of our fleet to some pathetic ambush. Get a communications out to the Duke as well," She looked around and saw her people stare up at her. On the inside she was completely flustered. She wanted to break out and cry "WHY ME?" She wanted to run away and hide, to avoid the responsibility that was hers. But on the outside she looked completely calm. There was neither shock nor any hint of nervousness in her voice. To those who looked to her for direction, they saw the ice queen. No emotion could be gleaned from her despite the fact that they all knew they were going to die. Emma ran her eyes over her bridge one more time knowing that it would probably be the last time she'd ever seen them and in a voice that made the situation seem to be a mere stroll in a park, she said, "Well… Lets move it people."

"YES MA'AM," came the unified chorus. Her calmness and apparent confidence began to spread. All of them knew at some level they were going to die, but they were Victrix. They would go down fighting to the last man and take out as many of the bad guys as possible. With a smile and song on their lips, the flag squadron of TF 1.2 went into battle to buy their comrades time to defend themselves.

* * *

_On the way to Sirrus 4…_

Bulma was tired. She had spent the last twenty hours lost in the studies of hyperspace technology. It was simply fascinating for her. She had loved science ever since she was a little girl. Her father had instilled in her a love of wondering why things happened, and that was the source for her unquenchable thirst for knowledge. She simply loved to learn new things.

Finally forcing herself to the close the book, she went to check on the injured Emperor. She walked into his room only to find him sleeping soundly. She couldn't help but move closer and brush her hand across his cheek. It had been so long since she had last seen him like this. He looked so vulnerable when he slept. The hard lines that streaked his face seemed to soften. She only knew a little bit of his story, he had never confided completely in her. It was something that always intrigued her, what exactly could have caused a man such as Vegeta to become as complicated as he was. He was handsome, masculine, and he had always worn an air of dignity around himself, but those were not the reasons that truly made him attractive to her. Rather, it was the mystery that he shrouded himself with. Her inquisitive nature could not resist the challenge. She wanted to know who he was, what made him the way he was, and what made him tick. In her attempts to do so she had found herself falling in love with him. Unlike Yamcha, Vegeta was someone whom she could never hope to unravel. He would always present a challenge to her, and always surprise her. Life, she knew, would have never been dull with him. Of course the key words were 'would have'. He had died, but not before he had left her. That hurt. Oh did that hurt, to fall for someone and to think that they reciprocated only to find out that in truth they cared nothing for you. Yet, he still had completed her in a way. He had given her Trunks, her pride and joy. That brought another pang to her chest. She didn't know if she would ever see her son again. She worried about him even though she knew he didn't really need her anymore. He had grown up after all.

Taking a deep breath she took a look around the room. She knew that they had stolen the ship from a woman that knew her family. All the clothes in the closets of the bedroom were female. She looked at the two pictures that were on the dresser. There was one of a teen with black hair standing in front of a scholarly looking man and an attractive middle-aged woman. The other was her standing with Mr. Satan, she recognized him, and a pink monster. Mr. Satan had his arms around the young girl in a great big bear hug and the monster was making some sort of face at the camera. It seemed that these were perhaps the childhood pictures of the young woman that they had taken the ship from. She felt sorry that she had stolen the ship, but it wasn't really like she had a choice. Rising she left Vegeta's room and went to her own and laid down for a few hours of sleep. According to the navigational charts they would be arriving at Sirrus Four in two days. That would mean that she would probably have to cook a days worth of food for Vegeta. Now that was something she hadn't done in years. As she drifted off to sleep her mind was filled with past images of a happy time. Times when Goku and the others were alive. Times when she and Vegeta were together and when she had deluded herself in believing that he loved her.

* * *

_Imperial Capitol…_

"Do you have any idea where we are going?" asked Trunks as he followed the young black haired woman down a dark alleyway. He could sense several Ki's following them and was sure that they were going to get into some trouble.

"Yes. I know where I'm going and don't worry about being mugged. Buu and I can take care of anyone who tries," she scoffed. She led the three-person party for several more blocks until they came out of the alleyways onto a main street. She then followed the street down until they came up to a large building. Turning left she led him through a large archway into what was obviously a huge bazaar. There were vendors everywhere hawking their wares from behind booths. Clothes, carpets, jewelry, watches, and countless of other trinkets were lined up along the walls for customers to browse. The scent of freshly baked cinnamon bread floated through the air and Trunks found himself to be a little hungry.

"First time to the Grand Bazaar," asked Pan as she noticed the look of mild surprise on Trunks' face. "Don't stand around gawking or they will know you are a tourist. Come on, lets get going."

"Ok," replied Trunks feeling somewhat like a bumpkin. The new planet he was on was immense and far different from the devastated Chikyuu he knew. Without further encouragement he followed Pan deeper into the market place.

It seemed that they had walked for about twenty more minutes. The whole place was insane, it was just endless lines of shops selling everything imaginable. Trunks swore he saw people selling six legged antelopes and pigs with wings. He also saw some of the most scantily clad women with quite generous assets dancing in the window. He had tried very hard not to stare but the way they were dancing, with the little shake in their hips and a jiggle in their shoulder, caused him to lose track of where he was. Without meaning to he crashed into Pan who had stopped walking in front of him. It felt like running into a brick wall.

Trunk swore when he landed on his butt and looked up at the young woman standing with a smirk above him. It was a very familiar smirk but he couldn't quite place it.

"You should pay attention to where you are walking and not to the... uhh... attractions around, eh Trunks?" said Pan with laughter dancing in her eyes. "Anyway we're here. Why don't you stand right here and gawk at the girls some more while I go in and take care of business."

"Uhh.. ok?" replied Trunks as he slowly stood up. He looked over at the pink thing that she had called Buu and noticed that he was playing with some sort of wierd purple contraption that he couldn't even begin to describe as anything more than wierd. He then noticed that Pan was patiently looking at him with that familiar smirk.

"What?" he asked.

"The diamonds? I'm going to exchange them for some hard credits."

"Oh," he said. Trunks reached into his pocket and took out three fourth of the multi-carat diamonds that he had brought with him. For a moment he thought about whether he should trust her, but the point was moot he decided since he could probably blast every living thing on this planet into micro-quarks if he chose to. There was no reason for him to not trust her. Smirking to himself, he put the diamonds back into the bag and tossed her the entire set as if it was worth nothing.

Pan caught the bag effortlessly with one hand. She cocked an eyebrow at him in wonder as she looked him over. He didn't seem like the trusting type of guy. He had a hardness around him that she only saw in battle hardened soldier, yet he had just given her a sack of diamonds worth more than two years pay for most people. This man was either ridiculously wealthy or naively stupid. She was sure that he wasn't that wealthy and she was sure that he wasn't stupid. A mystery indeed. She didn't say another word as she turned and walked into the jeweler's tent. It didn't really matter after all. If she needed to, she'd just slit his throat. It wasn't like he could stop her.

Trunks watched Pan turn and walk into the tent. He couldn't help admiring those long legs and that firm body. He was after all, a male in his prime. But as he appraised her physical looks and began to brush himself off from his little fall onto the ground he realized something. Even though he wasn't using any ki, he had just been knocked down by a hundred pound and some change woman. That was physically improbable if not impossible. He outmassed her by a hundred pounds easily. He was an atheltic god even without using any Ki and yet he'd been knocked down by a slight bump? Had she done that on purpose?He reached out to sense her ki but it was absolutely negligible. This was a mystery, and Pan was a mysterious woman. He smiled to himself... he did like mysterious women. This would be an interesting trip indeed.

* * *

_That day Sirrus 4, In the midst of a raging battle…_

"Admiral… _Curtis, Fortuna, Rumania, _and, _the Ingrid_ are gone," came the report from her new chief of staff. Arlis was dead, killed when a nuclear tipped missile had smashed against her flagship. Luckily that had been the only hit they had taken so far. Somehow they were still alive, but the last of her active dreadnaughts were gone. The crews of the remaining ones were frantically trying to get their ships powered up to join the battle, but dreadnaughts took a long time to power up. Most of the ships had undocked from the spaceport but as they had been doing so, enemy fighters had taken their toll. Almost fifty of the ninety ships that had been docked were already nothing but scrap. Of the surviving forty, ten were too badly damaged to do anything, ten more were still trying to finish powering up, and the last twenty had joined the fray. Of the 14 ships of the Flag squadron, only two remained. Yet, the rebels of Fifth Fleet hadn't gone unscratched yet. They had come blazing in with seventy some ships. Thirty of which were dreadnaughts. Of those seventy, fifty remained, with twenty dreadnaughts. Unfortunately that was more than enough to destroy the remains of Sixth Fleet.

The senior lieutenant who now had taken over as her chief of staff and was relaying her orders to the other surviving ships was amazed at his senior commander. The battle had gone on for almost two hours now and there had been a cat and mouse game where she had done her best to buy time for her ships to power up. She had succeeded in that, but the odds were simply too great and the surprise too total for them to win. Despite the fact that she had inflicted some casualties to the attacking fleet most of those were to the lighter vessels of the enemy fleet. The core of fifth fleet, the dreadnaughts and battlecruisers, were still strong. If one were to count the ratio of loss, she had actually lost more than she had destroyed. She was now more outgunned than ever. Yet, none of this showed. Bleeding from a cut over the eye and from a shrapnel wound in the arm, she didn't seem phased a bit.

"Lt. I want to bring all our vessels in close together. Its time to make a stand, all we can do is hope that those dreadnaughts can power up in time to join us," she said calmly. She even had a smile on her face.

"Yes ma'am," said the Lt. As he quickly dispatched the orders.

Slowly the remaining ships under her command came together and went into a line formation. It seemed that they were going to make a stand and go out in a blaze of glory.

"Ma'am the last squadron has powered up and are moving to join us. That's ten more capitol ships," said the first officer of the ship to her. He was acting as her flag captain now since Captain Hartfoot had been killed in the fighting.

"Very good. Have all the ships move into formation Gamma Seven. Perpare to engage."

"Aye aye ma'am."

The ships of Sixth fleet moved forward to engage their treacherous enemies for the last time. As they came within missile range they opened with everything they had. Of course their enemies too opened fire at the same range since their technologies were identical. Not waiting for the results of their missile duel, Admiral Aethefel led her ships down the throat of the enemy. They all knew that they could get one, maybe two volleys of energy weapons off before they were all destroyed. As they reached beam range Emma gave the order to fire and her well-trained crews responded. Of her thirty-three ships, twenty-five had made it close enough and they all opened fire with lasers, energy cannons, plasma cannons, and disrupters. Their first volley and missiles had annihilated ten ships of fifth fleet, and crippled four more. That left only thirty-six fully functional battle ready ships to retaliate against Emma's twenty-five battered hulls. The crews of Sixth fleet continued to attack like bats out of hell, yet they were being swarmed under. They simply couldn't manage the fire power to defeat the remainder of Fifth Fleet.

Admiral Aethefel knew it was over. Perhaps if she hadn't sent the twenty-three ships of Furizma's squadron out then perhaps they could have won. She doubted that, but the decision haunted her mind as she watched another of her ships, this one a heavy cruiser blown to bits. She had given it her best. Turning to her tactical display she hissed in surprise.

There before her she could see seventy blue dots of various sizes symbolizing another group of ships and they were slicing into the remainder of fifth fleet. She could see the formation of enemy dreadnaughts break and then scatter. The new comers began to split and chase them down.

"M'lord Duke de Sirrus…" came a message sent on a open channel to all ships. The voice was serpentine and male.

She quickly moved over to the communications counsel and opened a channel. "His lordship is not present. This is Admiral Aethefel of Sixth Fleet. May I have the pleasure knowing the male I should be thanking for our timely rescue?"

She heard a hearty laugh from the speaker. "You should thank your Commodore Furizma. He ran into us and was able to guide us here in time. I'm Rear Admiral S'lithssas Sssassasssa. You can just call me Slith like everyone else. Admiral we have a lot of wounded and would like to unload them. We were ambushed by fifth fleet also. We are the only survivors of third fleet."

"Third fleet? Admiral Slith please you have whatever you need. I will personally be going to the Star Dock in a moment. Please meet me there. We need an update of the situation."

"Thank you Ma'am. We don't know what exactly is going on ourselves, but we have some data leeched from some captured vessels."

"Ma'am," came another voice. "Ma'am we have forty more vessels inbound. It's the Duke Ma'am. He's back."

Admiral Aethelfel felt a surge of relief and let a small sigh out. She saw the young aide smile a bit at the small crack in her emotional mask. She gave him a small smile in response. "Please tell the Duke to meet me and the Third Fleet admiral at the Star Dock."

"Yes Ma'am… Take it easy Ma'am, its over and we've won," chirped the young aide in attempt to cheer her up as much as to let out his own elation at being alive.

"No… No it's not over. It's only just begun," she replied.

* * *

_Two hours later on Stardock 341 in orbit around Sirrus 4… _

Admiral Aethefel was exhausted but she still hauled herself to the meeting that was about to take place. She walked past several Sakimori who looked at her with open admiration as she stepped into the large cabin where a briefing was being held. As she entered she noticed that she was the last of the senior officers to arrive. There sat the Duke himself, with his black hair that spiked up and forwards. He was attired in his usual white armor. Underneath he wore a blue skin suit. Around his shoulders he wore a large black cloak pinned by a circular orange brooch. He looked completely human except for the tail he had snuggly wrapped around his waist. His charcoal eyes settled on her and in them she could see a great deal of sympathy. She had, after all, lost almost all of her command and then some.

"Emma please sit and relax. This will be an informal briefing. I think that is more appropriate in this situation then a tense hearing. Please speak your minds," said the Duke with all seriousness, yet with a hint of relaxation just to set his people at ease.

"Yes, Lordship," came the response from around the table. Emma quickly glanced around the table. She recognized everyone except one. There was Vice Admiral Hideyoshi, commander of TF 1.1 and the Duke's right hand man. Next to him sat Generals Dodo, Swein, and Thorkall. These three were the commanders of the three ground divisions that were stationed on the star dock. General Swein looked at her with open thanks on his face, as he knew that he and his men would have been nothing more than space dust if she had not stopped the enemy fleet. To the right of them and next to Vice Admiral Reese, commander of TF 1.3, was the one face she didn't recognize. The lizard-like Rear Admiral Slith sat quietly as he slowly looked upon the living legend in person. Last but not least Colonel Cnut, the commander of the Sakimori stood behind the Duke appraising her carefully. His gaze made her shudder inwardly as it always did. He was a very dangerous man and seemed to exude an aura of terror. They had served together for almost ten years and yet he still made her uncomfortable when he laid his piercing gaze upon her.

"Slith, please tell us what happened to third fleet. I think this will help us all understand the situation," said the Duke as he reclined slowly into his chair.

"Yer Lordssship," began the Rear Admiral, "Yesterday a detachment from fifth and fourth fleet came upon us at unawares. They had the codes to our fixed defenses and half of our entire fleet had been annihilated before we even knew what was happening. Admiral Erssi gave the orders to my detachment to break through the blockade and to spread the news of a rebellion to the Emperor."

The admiral took a breath for a second and composed himself before continuing. "We arrived at Imperial Capitol earlier this morning. We found that second fleet had taken possession of the capitol and that the Emperor is most likely dead…"

"The Emperor is not dead. This I know for his passing would have been felt by those of us with significant Ki," interrupted the Duke. "I apologize for interrupting please continue."

"That is good news Lordship. Well… second fleet attacked us and we barely made it into hyper. We lost two ships at Imperial Capitol. We really didn't know where else to go but here. We needed supplies badly and to get our wounded treated. I'm glad that we found you alive. Apparently they tried the same thing on you as they did us."

"Yes… apparently they did. Emma please tell us what exactly happened," said the Duke softly. Quickly Admiral Aethefel recounted on how they went to check on the missing pickets. About the lies the Fifth Fleet commander had given them, and how they had been caught off guard but not that off guard. She told of the valor that her men had conducted themselves with. She told them hows and whys of her strategy. After about twenty minutes the Duke finally waved her to conclude. She did so promptly.

"I do not mean to interrupt but we run short on time. Do you all understand what is happening?" He looked around the room and saw some confusion. "There has been a coup. General Bojack has proclaimed himself Emperor. Quite a foolish move since the Emperor is still alive. Unfortunately it appears that all the other fleets have thrown in their lots with him." He paused for a second to make sure that everyone was with him.

"Now, that Bojack struck at the third and sixth fleets is not surprising. Erssi and myself have been with the Emperor since almost the beginning of the Unification wars. He undoubtedly did not want the Emperor to have a military force to rally around. He succeeded in this."

Gasps could be heard from across the room. No one could believe the words that the Duke had just said.

"Your Lordship with all due respect, I think you are wrong. We can find the Emperor and strike back," said Admiral Reese with a bit of indignation.

The Duke raised his hand to stop further outbursts. "No. We cannot do this because Bojak will be hunting for us all. When his fleet does not return he will know that it has been destroyed. He will then dispatch even more forces against us."

"The Duke is right, we have but half a fleet left and three divisions of ground forces. We cannot stand up against the might of the entire empire. We have to consolidate and then strike back," interjected Hideyoshi. He was human of short stature. Five foot five he kind of looked like a monkey, but his flair for tactics was well known. He had earned his position countless of times over the years.

"I do not know… I think it would be best if we strike now, before the Usurper can consolidate his holdings. He is weak now and not everyone supports him. A victory now would swing much of the forces back towards us. If we give him time to consolidate then he will be harder to defeat," warned Aethefel. She could not understand the Duke's passivity on this matter. The course was obvious, strike when your enemy was unaware.

"The Vice Admiral is wise," agreed Slith, "If we strike Imperial Capitol now before he knows that we have defeated his forces we can have the element of surprise. We can defeat them."

"The risks are too high. I am not willing to wager on this. We have but eighty vessels in fighting shape. Only thirty Dreadnaughts and my flagship. We cannot assault an unknown enemy with such few forces, especially… especially one with as much Ki power as Bojack."

"Ki power m'lord… Bojack has never shown great Ki," said Aethefel.

"Apparently he suppressed it somehow. Today I felt a source of ki greater than any I have ever felt before. It was dark and malignant. I am sure it was Bojack's."

"Lord are you advising flight?" asked an incredulous Breese.

"No, I am proposing patience. Today we destroy everything here. We will withdraw into deep space where only we of Sixth Fleet know. Our years of exploration give us an advantage against our opponents. There we will assemble and send calls to loyalists everywhere. We will lick our wounds and begin to ferment rebellion. After a few months we will establish a base and begin outright raids against Bojack."

The Admirals and Generals looked at one another. They did not know why the Duke was not taking up a more aggressive stance but they had followed him for years and he had never led them astray. Slowly they nodded their agreement and they began to plan out the evacuation. After another hour of work the briefing broke up and the various officers went their own ways to accomplish their various tasks. As Aethefel began to leave the Duke stopped her.

"I have a task for you Admiral. I need you to take a squadron to the Mersis system. When you arrive there I want you to drop Colonel Cnut off."

"Sir?"

"It is important Emma… please do this for me."

"Yes sir, as you wish," she replied. Glancing at the Colonel she again felt a shiver up her spine. There was just something about that man that made her tremble. Firmly putting a lid on her runaway instincts she turned and left to carry out her duties.

The Duke de Sirrus remained in the empty room. Slowly he stood and walked over to a porthole in which he could look at the stars. He had not told them the complete truth. He knew that if they went against Bojack now they would be destroyed. He had not revealed to them that Bojack was much more powerful than he, a super saiya-jin, and even more powerful than the Emperor himself, even transformed. That Bojack had convinced the vast majority of the empire to follow him was also disturbing. He needed time to plot, time to train, and time to find Vegeta. There was one place in the Universe where he could take his men and be relatively safe. It was a remote blue planet he hadn't seen for five years. _It's time for me to go home, to go home to Chikyuu._ With that thought in mind Son Goten the Duke de Sirrus turned and strode out the room.

Author's End note: Many people were confused when I first wrote this. The military stuff is pretty irrelevant, though several of the minor characters show up from time to time. What is important is that, just in case you missed it, Goten is not a happy go lucky Goten of GT. He is something entirely else. Stay tuned to find out exactly what. .

1 An interdictor is a ship that prevents other ships from jumping into hyperspace. I think this is out of star wars but I'm not 100 percent sure. I forgot where I got it from.

_Next time:_

_What are Bulma and Vegeta going to find when they reach Sirrus 4? What are Trunks and Pan up to? Why is GOTEN in space? Why is PAN in space? Stay tuned for more…_


	5. Chapter Five: Different kind of Dates

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Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 4: Different Kinds of Dates

_In route to Sirrus 4. March 17th…_

Vegeta slowly opened his eyes to find himself in a strange room. Disoriented, he tried to quickly sit up. Pain exploded through him. His entirebody ached and it was obvious that he had taken battle wounds. Gritting his teeth, Vegeta forced himself to slow his breathing and to blot out the pain. As the pain resided, Vegeta slowly looked around, taking in the details of the room. It was a small clean bedroom. There was little much else to say about it. There was a dresser and a nightstand. A full body mirror stood in one corner near the doorway.

It took a moment for Vegeta to realize where he was and also recollect the events from the previous day. As he remembered Bojack's treachery, his anger began to boil and he attempted a SSJ transformation. Nothing happened. His hand suddenly shot to the collar around his neck and he tried to rip it off. Of course the moment he attempted to do that he felt a jolt of pain run down his spine. It was so great that he couldn't help but let out a cry of pain and fell to the floor clutching his neck. Minutes passed as he struggled to regain control of his nervous system. Slowly, he turned himself around and pushed himself up onto his knees. He could barely keep himself up, and his breath came out heavy, and ragged.

"Vegeta, are you alright?" he heard a soft feminine voice. He looked up to see Bulma standing over him with a look of concern. Slowly she bent down to help him up.

"Don't touch me woman. I don't want your filthy paws on me," he snapped. He did not want her help at all. She had, long ago, used him and then chose another. She had dismissed him as if he were a common dog and he would never be indebted to her again.

Bulma's hand snapped back at the malice in his voice. She had expected some form of rebuke, but his tone was so filled with loathing that she was taken aback. The concerned look on her face did not, however, drop. A single glance at him and she could see that he was hurting and not only physically. She knew how proud he was of his physical prowess and that to be seen-by anyone-crawling and crippled would be a serious blow to him emotionally. For a moment she thought that it would be perhaps best to let him be, but that moment passed as quickly as it game. In the end, she was Bulma and she did what the other dimensions Bulma would have done in her place--ignore his comment.

"Did you not here me? Stupid woman get away from me," he shouted as he tried to push her away from him. Unfortunately, the pain had sapped all his strength and he collapsed onto the floor.

Bulma immediately grabbed him and using all her strength hauled him into a sitting position. She resumed her examination of the collar. It was made out of some metal she could not identify. She could however tell how it was causing Vegeta pain.

"Vegeta, you can't mess with this collar. It's imbedded into your spine here. Every time you try to take it off, or even move it it's going to cause you tremendous pain. Even if you do rip it off, you'll end up paralyzing yourself," she told him.

"I figured that out myself. Now get away from me. I don't desire your help. Your very presence turns my stomach," he spat. Her presence did turn his stomach. He could smell her scent and remember her soft touch. The nights together, the time they had spent together. Yet, it was all tainted. For the memory of the scent of Yamcha's seed on her was too much for him to bear. Every memory of her had been fouled and polluted for him, and it was that which made him sick. He had once treasured those memories. He had very few memories that were pleasurable, and they had been unique in that he had someone to share them with. Now they were suppressed along with the years he had spent with Freeza.

His sharp words finally caused Bulma to lose her temper. "Well shit Vegeta, if I bother you so much then I'll make myself scarce. I see that after twenty years you are still a fucking asshole." With that said she turned and stalked out the room. She did not realize the impact of her words on Vegeta.

Vegeta was stunned. It was not only the words that she had said but also the picture of the woman on the nightstand. He knew the raven-haired girl and her family. Worse, he had in his own way trusted that family. Her words came back to him "_after twenty years you are still a fucking asshole."_ It was not the insult that had shocked him but rather the time she had given. The last time he had seen her was **thirty years ago**. He knew that Bulma was a precise person. She would never accidentally make such an error. In addition he was now on a ship of a member of the Son family. He could not help but think that perhaps the Son family could be plotting against him. How else could she have been the one to pick him up? How did they just coincidently get on Son Pan's ship? Of all the major political players in the empire only Goten could have known of his one great weakness. Paranoia began to set in and he began to think of ways he could find out the truth. He would know if she intended to betray him again and if she did, this time he would not hesitate to kill her, even if it meant killing a part of himself. He would find out before they reached their destination.

* * *

_The same day Star System Praxis Prime – a two day hop from Sirrus 4…_

"Now this is more like it!" said Pan as she tossed her bag into the large suite cabin of the luxury liner that she, Trunks and Buu had managed to book. Even with the enormous amount of funds that Pan had procured at the Bazaar, they had been unable to get on a ship from Imperial Capitol to Sirrus four. However, they had been able to book a shuttle to the Praxis system, which was only a two-day journey from Sirrus 4. There they had transferred to a Luxury liner that was taking its wealthy passengers on a cruise of the systems near the border of the Empire. One of those systems just happened to be Sirrus 4 and they were about to depart in twenty minutes. Apparently the news of the battle there had not reached the public and traffic routes had not been closed.

The cabin was definitely one reserved for the wealthy. Large was an understatement. The living area was the size of a small one-bedroom apartment and there were two adjacent bedrooms-each the size of a small apartment on Chikyuu. One of which was a master bedroom. Pan, not surprisingly, had declared that room hers. Trunks and Buu were now sharing the other room.

In addition to two bedrooms and a large living area, the cabin also boasted a kitchenette where meals could be prepared and also an immense bathroom with a Jacuzzi. There was also a balcony in which they could step out onto that led to an overlook of the main deck and to a spectacular view of space through a transparent canopy.

"Yeah, this sure beats that cramped shuttle we took here," said Trunks as he too looked over the room a bit uncomfortably. It really was spacious and he wasn't use to it. While Capsule Corps in his time had been large, it was mostly abandoned. Most of the time he and his mother had confined themselves to a small portion of the building that had not been destroyed. In all his life, Trunks certainly had never seen such luxury, in fact luxury itself was strange to him. His world was not one that supported such a lifestyle.

The room they had for the last day on the shuttle had been more like a closet. There had been only two bunks and he had slept on the floor. Worse, though perhaps it wasn't that bad, the cramped room had forced Pan and Trunks together for an extended period of time. During that time Trunks had become even more aware of Pan's sexuality. He couldn't get her out of his head any more. For him it was a strange experience. He'd met beautiful human women before and he'd always been able to control his carnal instincts. However, something about Pan was appealing to his Saiyan side and that was much harder to keep tame. _Could Pan be a Saiyan? Is that why she's affecting me like this?_

"Trunks?" Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts. She stood there smirking at him for some reason. He realized that he had been staring at her like a love struck puppy for an unknown amount of time.

"Pan, would you like to have dinner with me tonight?" he blurted out blushing furiously. In fact, he didn't even realize he had said it until it was too late. _Smooth Trunks… way to complicate things._

Pan was taken aback for a moment. Sure she had caught him checking her out, but it wasn't that big of a deal. She hadn't thought he was that inexperienced around women, but maybe he was. For some reason that made him all the more attractive to her.When she heard him asking her to dinner, a surge of elation shot through her and she felt as if she were flying. She even glanced down to make sure that her ki was properly reduced and to make sure that she had not accidently started flying in front of him. It only took her a minute to realize that she was actually getting giddy over this guy. Even though she had no intention of turning him down, she was not about to let him know that. Moreover, there was no way she was going to get giddy over a guy, especially a guy she barely knew. He was gorgeous but lots of guys were gorgeous. _Not as gorgeous as this guy_, whispered a small voice. She couldn't help but feel her face begin to heat up and as it did, she started to get angry.

"Oh… sorry Pan, I didn't mean to offend you," he said when he saw her eyes begin to narrow. He didn't mean to upset her and so he was spinning damage control now. He hoped that he hadn't scared her off. "I just thought it was nice if we could go out and see some of the ship. If you don't want to its ok with me."

"No, no. Trunks. I'd love to go to dinner with you and it'd be even better if we could take a walk around the ship," she replied hurriedly. _No way you're getting out of this pretty boy, _she thought to herself and nearly giggled. Again, she chastised herself. _I am going to act like a woman and not some silly school girl. I am so not one of those little brainless girls that phoo and haww over guys._She needed some breathing room she decided. "Let me take a shower and get changed alright?" she asked.

"Sure thing. I'll take a look at what restaurants and stuff this ship has. I have to change myself."

"Alright… We'll head out in an hour or two ok?"

Trunks nodded his agreement before he realized something. "What about Buu, is he going to be ok by himself?"

Pan just laughed and pointed over at Buu who was sitting and watching TV. There was some kind of muffin men dancing around and singing a hideous song. "He'll be ok. He can take care of himself. I'll let him know we'll be going out."

"Ok. Meet you in a bit," he said grinning like a small boy that just consumed some of his favorite candy. Trunks couldn't believe he was going out on a date. In fact, he realized that this would actually be his first real date ever. In his timeline dates weren't exactly a common thing. Devastated cities, killer androids, acid rain, and nuclear pollution kind of made his world a place where people stayed inside. These things also put a hamper on dating. Also he had gone back in time when he was only sixteen years old. He was physically four years older now, but in reality he was only two. This was the first time he had really had the opportunity to ask a girl out and he wanted to treat her right. Picking up a yellow book that seemed to list all the liner's services he began to plot carefully. It would be an interesting evening indeed.

Some time after Trunks had begun his preparations for his date with her, Pan exited the shower. _There's nothing like a long hot shower,_ she thought to herself. Wrapping herself in one of the luxury liner's comfortable robes, she walked out of the bathroom into the main living area to see what Trunks was up to. When she entered the common area, she saw only Buu quietly playing a video game by himself.

"Trunks?" she called out. She wanted to know what arrangements he had made while she had been in the shower. However, nothing except silence responded to her inquiry.

"Buu have you seen Trunks?" she asked.

"Nooo… He say he go out. He leave note for Pan. There," answered Buu. He gestured to the kitchen counter to show Pan that the note had been left somewhere in that vicinity.

"Thanks Buu," she said as she walked over to the counter. She immediately found the note and quickly picked it up. It read, "_Pan. Went out to make a few arrangements. Will be back to pick you up for dinner and a show. Be ready at six sharp."_ It was signed, _Trunks._

Pan smiled to herself. It was obvious that Trunks was up to something. She walked back to her room swiftly and took a look at her herself in the mirror. Suddenly she frowned. _If he's taking me out to dinner that means I'm going to have to dress up, _she thought. She really hated dressing up. Yet, it was something she had to do quite often and something that she had learned to do quite well. After all, she was the neice of the Duke de Sirrus. However, much she disliked dressing up,she realized that this might be a chance to get one up on Trunks. He'd only met Pan in her current guise of an adventurer and more than likely thought of her only as a rough and tumble kind of girl. She knew he had mysteries and if she were to assume her formal persona then perhaps she could shock some of his little secrets out of him.

_Alright Trunks, you want to surprise me? Well I'll give you a little shocker myself. _Smirking to herself, she went to her travel bag and pulled out her capsule container. It didn't take her long to find the one she wanted. She pulled a gray capsule out and pressed the button and tossed onto the bed. With a poof, a suit bag appeared.

Carefully, Pan unzipped the bag from left to right and then opened it. The first item of clothing was obviously a uniform of some kind. It was embroidered and decorated with a few medals. On each end of the collar was a silver eye inlaid with a blood red ruby. Taking the uniform out, she carefully folded it and put it to the side. Behind it were a number of dresses that she had been given to her by her mother and a few by her uncle. Grumbling she looked from the uniform to the dresses and back. Again, she frowned as indecision to dress up or not took her again.

Sighing, she closed her eyes and weighed the consequences. As much as she wanted to go out with Trunks, she had a job, and that job required her to uncover information and then to deal with threats in theImperium. For this reason, she travelled mostly by herself and undercover. Not many people would associate the plainly dressed and unglamorous woman that she was now with the high profile neice, and more importanly heir, of the Duke de Sirrus. Her rough and tumble attitude combined with her gruff mannerisms were absolutely the opposite of the elegant and graceful Lady Son Pan of the Imperial court.

The problem lay now with Trunks. She was captivated by him for some bizzare reason. Certainly he was ridiculously good looking. Trunks was gifted with beautiful hair that most women would kill for along with the adonis like body and gorgeous face. Just thinking about him made her shiver.Yet, there was something else about him. She didn't know him that well; they had never really talked.What was it about him that pulled at her? She'd grown up around gorgeous men with god-likebodies.The imperial court was filled with beautiful people. And then there was the Emperor who was prime A+ specimen of male. She'd spent weeks locked up with him and she'd never even once had the feelings that she was having now...and worse, she knew that the pull was going to get stronger as she got to know Trunks better.Would she lose control? Would she compromise the safety of her uncle and Vegeta by pursuing this relationship? Especially if Trunks was some kind of agent. After all, what were the chances of there being TWO Trunks Briefs in the world.

"_AGHHHHHHH," _she vented out her frustration and flopped down onto the bed. _What would uncle Goten or the Emperor do in a situation like this?_ she thought to herself. It took her only a moment for her to realize the answer and a feral like grin appeared on her beautiful face.There was no doubt that she would pursue this, if he were a spy then it was her job to expose him. If he were genuine then everything would be wonderful. She might as well play along and try to solve his mysteries. And on top of that, she realized, donning her court persona would open up more access for her to figure out what happened during the coup. The rich and powerful on this ship would no doubt have plenty of information and would be more than happy to gossip. She'd be able to get to mix business with pleasure tonight. Turning back to her dresses she looked over her options with a smile. _Well Trunks Briefs, get ready to meet Son Pan-the real Son Pan tonight... not the tomboy or the lady but all of me._

* * *

_Another Part of the Ship..._

"No sir. I can't get you tickets to the showing of the _Mama Mia_ tonight. You have to book these things in advance," said the weasel like alien to Trunks.

"Well… how about the _Full Monty_? Can I two tickets to that?" asked Trunks as he looked over the list of shows that were playing. He really had no idea what these shows were about. He'd never been to one, but he thought Pan might like something like this.

"Hmmm… Well I do have two left, but they are on reserve. They are fourth row slightly center left. I could give them to you but…"

"Here's five hundred keep the change," said Trunks deadpan. He knew what the game was about. It didn't matter to him though. He just wanted to get a ticket to a show that started shortly after dinner.

"Well… if you insist. Here are the tickets. I hope you have a wonderful time at the show sir," smirked the ticket salesman as he closed up shop.

Trunks hurriedly left the ticket booth and went to the restaurant that he was preparing to take Pan to. It was called Grande Europa and featured cuisine from Chikyuu. This was extremely rare in the galaxy as Chikyuu was a tiny remote planet. Yet, the cuisine was said to be excellent and he thought Pan would probably like something from home.

"May I help you?" said the alien Maitre Dee as he saw Trunks enter. Trunks was dressed in his usual Capsule Corps jacket, black shirt, and black pants.

"Yes. I called earlier for a reservation for two tonight and since I was near the area I thought come in and see if I can pick the table."

"Your full name?" said the Alien as he walked over and looked over his reservation book.

"Trunks Vegeta-Briefs," he said.

"Ah here. Yes, indeed. If you would come with me I'll show you our available tables. I'm doing you a favor now sir. We usually don't do this, but I can tell you have a big date tonight with someone special," said the Maitre Dee with a smile, "I'm sure you want everything to be perfect."

"I hope so," blushed Trunks. He wasn't exactly sure where these feelings for Pan came from. In fact he wasn't sure what these feelings were. He didn't know her enough to be in love with her. Yet, he felt this unnatural attraction to her. _She has to be a Saiyan. Could more of them survived than Dad and Goku, _he thought to himself. It was the only explanation he could come up with.

"It will be young one. Relax and be yourself," advised the Maitre Dee sincerely.

Trunks just laughed and thanked him. Looking over the room he saw a nice isolated table near a window with a view. He was about to say he wanted that table when the Maitre Dee beat him to it.

"I think this table will do nicely. What do you think?"

"Yeah… this will be perfect. Thanks a lot."

"Your very welcome. We'll be expecting you at six fifteen?"

"I certainly hope so," came Trunks response. He'd done a lot of preparation and was actually quite nervous about the upcoming date. Now all he needed were some clothes and some food. It wouldn't do any good to scare Pan with his abnormally large appetite.

**Next Chapter: **Pan and Trunks go on their date. Pan finds things out about Trunks that disturb her. Trunks finds things about Pan that frighten him. What? They are going to see the _Full Monty?_ (The play, not the movie.) What about Vegeta and Bulma? Will Vegeta's paranoia cause pain for Bulma? You bet it will! What kind of pain? Will Vegeta or Trunks DO the FULL Monty for Bulma or Pan. Muhaha. You'll just have to wait and see.


	6. Chapter Six: Don't Break My Heart

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 6: Don't break my Heart

_On a Luxury Space Liner…_

Trunks had just finished dressing at the tailor shop. He decided that it would be best if he just dressed there and headed back to pick up Pan just before dinner. That way he would be able to surprise her.

He had already encapsulated his normal clothes as well as several extra purchases he had made. Looking over himself he decided that it was passable. He wore a pair of midnight black dress pants with a slightly lighter collarless silk shirt tucked in. Over that he wore a dark gray wool sports coat. His purple hair had been cut shorter like it had been when he first had shown up in the past to meet Goku.

He glanced at his watch and saw that it was already 5:15 and that his time was running out. He still had one more stop to make and he wanted to make sure that they wouldn't be rushed at all during the evening. Walking out he nodded at the salesman who had just made a small fortune off of him.

"Sir, I must say you look fabulous," said the Salesman as he rang up the various purchases and presented a total to Trunks.

"Thank you." Trunks quickly signed the receipt that would give the shop permission to draw funds from the account Pan had set up for his money. He hurriedly exited the store as he tried to make his last minute arrangements.

Pan had been ready for almost forty minutes and was beginning to wonder where Trunks was. She looked at herself one more time in the mirror. She wore a simple little black dress made of the finest threads that the Imperium had ever produced. Priceless amber beads were bound together as straps that seemed to flow over her shoulder like a small river of caramel. The cut of the dress was simple; it showed only a hint of cleavage, enough to tease and no more, and a short slit that ran up a few inches on the left side. It was comfortable and allowed for mobility, something that she required in everything she wore. She had strapped on a pair of black evening shoes that accentuated her long legs. For accessories, she had decided upon on a gold bracelet that was linked by intricate intertwining bands that were shaped like leaves. One of those leaves, however, was unique. It cleverly camouflaged a tiny capsule, which contained her purse, and other random items she may need—items such as knives, swords, recording devices, pepper spray, video equipment and laser guns—all the toys a girl needed to deal with big bad guys or 10 big bad guys. A dragon shaped silver pin held up her hair exposing her neck, and she wore only a hint of makeup to accentuate her already delicate features.

"Pan?" came Trunk's voice from the common area of the suite. Checking herself over one last time and grabbing a pair of diamond earrings she went to meet him. She put them on as she walked out to meet him. As she caught sight of him she grinned broadly. He had definitely had gone out of his way to impress her. His clothes were tailor fitted and she ogled his broad muscular chest.

"Wow..." Trunks was nearly speechless as he looked at this young woman in front of him. Her dress showed off her curves without accentuating them to point of sluttish-ness. As his eyes drifted from her face downwards, his blood began to quicken and his Saiyan instincts were beginning to rage forth. He could feel himself beginning to slip and he wanted to do nothing more than take her down to the ground, rip her clothes off and ravish her. With a great amount of effort, he firmly pushed those thoughts away and tried to calm himself.

Pan could see the lust in his eyes and her lips began to curve up in a smirk. _That's right pretty boy… eat your heart out._ She then looked him over, firmly keeping her own racing heart under check and replied coyly and in an off-handed manner, "Thank you, you look pretty good yourself."

Trunks smiled at her comment and then straightened. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes. Lets see what you have planned tonight."

"After you." He opened the door and waited for to step through.

"Buu, don't wait up for us," Pan called out and after receiving an affirmative from him she walked out the door with Trunks.

Trunks took her arm in his and slowly led her along the decks of the ship. The liner was designed in a way where the glorious sights of space could be seen from the various decks of the ship. Half the ship was transparent so that the passengers could see the stars.

"Breath taking isn't it?" said Trunks to Pan as he looked out into the endless vastness of space.

"Yeah it is… It really isn't something you can ever get use to," replied Pan as they walked slowly to the nearby restaurant.

"Oh? How long have you had to get use to this," asked Trunks.

"I've been off Chikyuu since I turned sixteen. About 6 years now." Trunks saw Pan's face cloud slightly at her mention of her home world. Her eyes seemed to lose their focus for a moment and her shoulder's hunched slightly. He wasn't sure if he should push the topic, but his curiosity got the better of him.

"That's quite a young age to be leaving home… do you miss it?" Pan didn't respond at first. Trunks was afraid that he might have brought back memories, like the type he had about the androids. He was about to apologize when she answered.

"No… No I don't," said Pan breaking the silence. She had never liked living on Chikyuu. She was never allowed to unleash her Saiyan nature at anytime. Boys, men, women, and children alike were all afraid of her whenever she showed the slightest hint that she was not normal. Even the children of family friends were a bit put off by her. She was not the only one to have felt out of place. Her uncle, too, had that problem and had left shortly after he turned sixteen as well.

"For my uncle and I… Chikyuu was just too stifling for a part of us," she explained. Pan, of course, had no idea that Trunks was a Super Saiyan.

"Uncle?" Trunks asked.

"Oh… yeah my uncle was one of the first people off of Chikyuu," replied Pan. Shaking off the cold memories, she decided that she'd said enough.

"So where is this restaurant that you are taking me to?" She said, changing the subject. She was starting to get hungry despite the fact that she had snacked. It would take a lot of self-control from letting her appetite run away with her.

"Right here," announced Trunks as they came up into a small reserved area of the ship. It was quite area where there was very little traffic. A small fountain sat in front of the Grande Europa and bubbled quietly. It along with the greenery around gave off a certain tranquil feeling.

"Hmmm… Chikyuu cuisine… Now that is something I do miss. Especially my Grandmother's cooking." She smiled as she walked through the door that Trunks held open for her.

"Ahhh… Good evening madam… Lady," said the Maitre Dee when he saw Pan enter, followed a second later by Trunks. His eyes widened a little as he recognized Trunks from earlier. He knew the woman, everyone knew the woman. She was the niece of the Duke de Sol, Lady Pan. However, though they knew her by face, few knew anything about her. She was one of the greatest mysteries of the Imperium. Quickly he scanned the list to get the name of the young man who had somehow induced such a noble lady to accompany him.

"Mr. Briefs if you could escort the lady and follow me, I will show you your table," said the Maitre Dee in that conspiring tone that men use with each other when they congratulate another for 'netting' a 'hottie.'

_BRIEFS!_. The thought struck Pan like lightning. _His name is Trunks Briefs? There are two Trunks Briefs in the universe… _Suspicion poured over her at first. It wouldn't be the first time that someone had set a delicious specimen of male in front of her to entrap her. There had been several instances before when her uncle's enemies sought to embarrass him through her. This was strange though, if someone knew enough about her to use the name of Trunks Brief, they would surely be smart enough to figure out that using his name would set off about 10,000 alarms in her head. A handsome man with the name of an old crush may have been enticing, but it was just too obvious. She would have to filch information carefully from him and if he was a trap… _Well… he won't live through the night._

As Trunks led Pan through the restaurant he could feel her eyes on him and a strange tenseness. He gulped. _I hope I haven't taken to a restaurant she dislikes. _

They reached a table in a secluded corner of the restaurant. No other tables were nearby for over three or four meters and it was obvious that this table was reserved for privacy. It overlooked a quiet park like area of the ship and gave a breath taking view of the stars.

Trunks held out Pan's chair for her and then went to his own seat. Pan couldn't help but smile at the gesture.

"My… A bit old fashioned aren't we?" she chuckled.

"A gentleman has a duty towards his lady…" Trunks smiled back. Pan, despite her wariness, couldn't help but shiver at that beautiful smile. He truly was a beautiful creature, especially in his current outfit. His shirt framed his pectorals well and, without his coat on, she could see that he was very broad of shoulder. She hadn't seem him shirtless but the very idea of it made her drool as she could tell that he had to be incredibly well built.

"Am I your lady?" Pan replied, catching his remark. There was something about Trunks that drew out her Saiyan nature. She could feel it boiling in her blood and she knew that she would have to satisfy it somehow. Even if he were some sort of agent, she found herself being pulled towards him.

"You will be," he said. He looked straight into her eyes, and Pan felt her insides melt. They were so blue and so piercing. She didn't know how long they had been sitting there just staring at each other, but the throat clearing of the waiter abruptly brought them out.

"Sir… Lady… Are you prepared to order?"

Trunks leaned back into his chair for a moment gathering his thoughts. Pan's brown eyes were like pools of rich chocolate that he just wanted to drown in and were it not for the interruption he would have forgotten about food, an event that was beyond comprehension considering what he was. Slowly he picked up the menu and scanned it.

"Pan? He looked over to where she was also quickly scanning the menu."

"A 24 ounce fillet minion topped with basil."

The waiter stopped a moment, not quite sure of what he had heard. The young lady before him did not look like a kind of woman that ate such meals. A salad would be more appropriate or a light entrée. "M'lady a twenty ounce steak?"

Pan's eyes flickered in anger as her Saiyan nature, already simmering because of her flirtations with Trunks, threatened to take hold. Her gaze slowly left her menu and settled on the waiter. "Yes… A twenty four-ounce steak. Cooked Bloody. Is there something you wrong with this?" her voice was crisp abrupt and commanding. It was not the voice of an adventurer who had been in a nice restaurant or two. It was a voice of someone who frequented these places often and who's patronage such restaurants could not afford to lose.

Trunks' eyes widened slightly at Pan's sudden change of demeanor. He couldn't help but start to chuckle. This was cut off abruptly as Pan's eyes flickered to a new victim, him.

"No… ma'am. And…and you sir?"

"The lamb sautéed with ginger and topped with cranberry please. Also could you bring us two orders of this Salmon fillets to start us off as an appetizer," he said with hidden mirth. He thought Pan was incredibly sexy, especially when she was angry.

"Of course sir… and wine?"

"Yes… a bottle of your best merlot. That will be all for now."

The waiter nodded at Trunks and then walked away to fulfill his duties.

"Well?" she asked him.

"Well what?" replied Trunks a bit baffled.

Pan wasn't sure if Trunks was genuinely not shocked by her order. She had done it on purpose to see his reaction, that and the fact that she was hungry. Every time she had gone out on a date with anyone they had always been shocked at her selection of food. Its as if all human males expect their women to eat salad or something dainty. Of course her Saiyan side prevented that completely, and she never had to worry about dieting. It was just that whenever she ordered a steak or something hearty people looked at her strange. Trunks was the first person to seem completely oblivious of this. She didn't know that Trunks was a Saiyan and that he had always found it strange that other people ate so LITTLE. For a Saiyan, the consumption of food and large quantities of it, especially meat, was the norm, hence Trunks didn't think twice about the fact that she ordered a large steak. Though it didn't go unnoticed by him, it was just that it didn't seem abnormal to him.

It seemed to Pan that Trunks was perfect. He was handsome, intelligent, witty, and maybe… just maybe he would accept her Saiyan nature. The only Saiyans alive were her close family and Vegeta. That made the only eligible people she could mate with Vegeta, or humans, since humans were the only race that could interbreed with Saiyans. Mating with Vegeta was pretty much out of the question, though it wasn't something that hadn't crossed her mind before. There was some history between him and someone that he had never shaken off. The Emperor had never touched a woman or a man since she had known him. Goten had confirmed that the Emperor seemed completely asexual for some unknown reason.

As for humans, none of the weaklings could accept her. In a society where men were dominant for the most part, there were few men that could partner with a female that was so much more accomplished or more powerful. On the flip side, she herself had grown up on Chikyuu and it would be strange if she did mate with a man who was her lesser. It just wouldn't feel right.

Trunks, on the other hand, he felt right. He seemed to be completely self-assured. He walked with the casual air of a man who knew how to take care of himself. He certainly seemed well educated and very cultured. Now if Pan could only get him to accept her Saiyan strength then he would be the one.

It seemed that the moment she thought that he could be the one the more rational part of her mind revolted. _You just met this guy and his name is Trunks BRIEFS. How can there be two Trunks Briefs or did this guy just HAPPEN to take the name of your OLD CRUSH… So put on the breaks Pan and figure out who this guy really is… remember the your first lesson, never believe what you want to believe. Reason, logic, interpretation are your weapons._

"Pan? Is everything ok?" asked Trunks as he saw the expression on her face. A small frown had flickered across her face and she seemed to be bothered by something. Had that waiter's comment really upset her that much? She didn't seem to be like the type of girl that would let something so trivial get to her.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about some things," replied Pan as the frown disappeared. Suddenly, perhaps too suddenly, she flashed him a dazzling smile. "So Trunks, tell me about your family? Where are on Chikyuu are you from, your obviously human. And… most curiously why were you on Imperia-sei." As she launched her first foray into Trunks past, her smile grew vicious and her eyes twinkled in amusement, but an amusement that was coupled with danger.

_Shit. What am I going to do?_ Trunks thought to himself. This was the part of the date that he was dreading. What could he possibly tell her about himself? She was human—or at least appeared to be human. His body was telling him that she was more but for the moment he had to assume she was human and if she were, she would be from Chikyuu. Either way, he had two options; he could lie to her of course, or he could tell her the truth. Then again the truth was so outrageous that she'd think he was lying. _So what do you are you going to do Trunks… you better hurry up because she's waiting…_ and then he had it. "A good lie is 90 percent truth", he remembered hearing that somewhere. Even better is to tell someone what he or she wants to hear.

"Pan… there are a lot of things about me that I can't tell you about my family. Please understand that," started Trunks. Inwardly he smiled a bit. _Integrity, Honesty under duress… that's what this will come off as… You really are a devil Trunks. _"Anyway, yeah… I'm from Chikyuu but from a part that was totally devastated by war. My dad was killed right before I was born so I don't really know him. My mom struggled for years to raise me, but I think she did a great job. After all… look at how I turned out." He grinned at the end and tried to lighten the mood slightly.

"Oh… Trunks… I'm sorry I shouldn't have pried," Pan said as sincerely as she could. _Not! Your still hiding something big… nice little disclaimer at the beginning, but I am NOT an amateur, _she thought to herself_, I don't buy this. I CAN'T… more like I don't want to. I'm not a fool Trunks Briefs. _

"No that's ok. Sometimes you have to talk about things or they will eat you up from the inside."

"Well… thanks for confiding in me," she replied. This time she was being sincere. _And thanks for giving me the go ahead to pry some more,_ she thought wickedly.

"So what are you doing out in space? I mean a lot of people from Chikyuu work for the Imperium but most of them are in the military or are merchants. You are neither."

"How do you know I'm not a merchant or in the military?" asked Trunks curiously.

"What's your rank specialization rating?"

"My what? What the heck is a rank specialization rating?" boggled Trunks.

"Well, don't you have one?" pressed Pan.

"No, I don't even know what that is."

"That's the answer to your question about how I knew. Now are you going to answer my question?" asked Pan sweetly.

"Wait a second, how did you know that I didn't know what a rank specialization was in the first place?"

"I didn't. You're answer told me everything I needed. If you were in the military or merchant marine you would have known there was no thing as a rank specialization rating and would have said so. Anyway, you don't look like a someone who has been in space much... so that's another give away."

"So that means you're in the military or a merchant huh?" countered Trunks. He, too, could play the game.

"Uh uh… It's my turn for the questions. You can ask them later," she said with devious a smile. "Besides, I asked first. Now are you going to answer me?"

"I'm looking for the woman with blue hair that stole your ship," answered Trunks.

"Oh… a friend?" Pan's heart seized up suddenly. What if he was married? What if he already had a girl friend and he was just taking her out as friends.

Her discomfort was obvious. Trunks smiled inwardly to himself. She was so beautiful and so fun to chat with, he thought. He was going to enjoy surprising her. "No… she's my mother."

"WHAT? Your mother has blue hair?" Pan's mind was racing now. Bulma had blue hair and Trunks last name was Briefs… could they be related? Could the person who stole her ship have been somehow related to Bulma? It couldn't have been Bulma herself since… well since Bulma was on Chikyuu. She was sure of that, and there was no reason to doubt her sources. Also, the man at the bar had said that she had been a 'hotty' and Bulma was fifty years old. Most men don't consider fifty year old women hotties.

"Yes my mother has blue hair. And yes, she was probably the one who took your ship. I'm really afraid for her and I think she's in trouble," replied Trunks with a bit of trepidation. He didn't want Pan to go off half-cocked and kill his mom when they caught up.

Pan smiled crookedly at his response. She knew he was afraid that she might do something hostile towards his mother. His reason for leaving Chikyuu, though, at least made sense. She was pretty sure that he was telling the truth and that relieved her a bit. All his facial expressions while they had chatted and his mannerisms hardly indicated that he was a spy. He seemed so open, kind and a bit naïve. However, there was something else about him… the way he moved and the way he acted. It tickled her mind but she couldn't quite place it. Anyway it didn't matter. It was time to call him out.

"Don't worry Trunks about your mother… I'll wait for an explanation first. So… why don't you tell me your real name then."

"What?" barked Trunks. Her question completely caught him unaware. How did she come about that line of reasoning? Trunks had no idea how she could have possibly made that connection—faulty as it was. Luckily he was given a little breathing room when the waiter came up with their appetizers.

"Ma'am, Sir," said the waiter. "Enjoy."

"What makes you think Trunks Briefs is not my real name?" asked Trunks as the waiter walked away. He slowly picked up a piece of salmon and popped it in his mouth.

"Well…" said Pan, as she reached over and did the same. "I know the real Trunks Briefs. I've known him since I was a little girl… and you are not him. So tell me who you are 'Trunks.'"

"Pan," he sighed. It was best to go with another truth that was not the whole truth. He chose his words carefully. For some reason he was sure she'd know instantly if he lied. "My name is Trunks Briefs. Please… that is my real name." _True_. "I don't know your Bulma Briefs at all." _True… but of course he knew A Bulma Briefs_. "Maybe my mother may have some insight as to her character or person, but I've never met the woman." _Both true… No doubt his mother would know herself well and he hadn't met Pan's Bulma Briefs had he? _"When you meet my mother you'll understand, maybe… but can you hold your judgment until then? I'll explain it all to you when you meet my her." _Perfect. Trunks you are a genius_, he thought to himself. He looked up at her and flashed her his best "please please believe me, I didn't do anything wrong" look.

Pan scrutinized Trunks carefully. He seemed to be totally sincere and her own instinct told her to that he was trustworthy. But, part of her knew that he wasn't telling her everything. She knew that if she pressed further he would begin to resist her questioning and she didn't want that. She was finding herself more and more attracted to this man as their conversation progressed. He really was a challenge to figure out, and there was still that something about him that was driving her nuts… not only physically, but also mentally. She decided to back off for the moment. After all, she'd have a lot more time to learn more about him during the trip.

"Ok Trunks… I'll wait to grill you about your life story until then. But when we do meet your mother I want the whole truth, not just some bits and pieces that your willing to dole out," she stated firmly. "Deal?"

"Deal. Thanks Pan…" he said lightly. His mood lightened considerably and he felt as if a huge weight had been lifted. He didn't want to lie to Pan, but he wasn't sure what he could really tell her at the moment. Certainly, he couldn't tell her he was some dimensional traveler from another time and space looking for his mother who had also crossed dimensions. Maybe when he caught up with his mom he would be able to tell her the whole truth, but until then it was best not to let the fact that dimensional travel was possible out of the bag. Cell's near destruction of all that he and his mother worked for had taught him a lesson of just blabbering about time travel. Regardless, it was time to turn the tables. It was his turn to ask some questions about this absolutely intriguing woman.

"So… are you going to tell me about you now?" he asked. "I mean this beautiful woman just lit a fire under me… and…"

"What do you want to know?" she asked interrupting him but with a smile on her face. She knew he was going to deliver some punch line and, worse, she knew it was probably going to be corny. It was better to cut him off. Sometimes a woman's got to do what a woman's got to do.

"Huh? Oh… well why did you leave Chikyuu?" he asked and immediately regretted his question. _Idiot you saw her reaction before when you asked._

She didn't answer and her smile faded. "I don't talk about that… it wasn't pleasant."

"You mentioned your uncle, what about your family? Or does that have to do with your leaving? I'm sorry if this…"

"No… I love my family and they are wonderful most of the time. Uhh… You don't know who my uncle is?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No… uhh should I?" replied Trunks.

"No it's not big deal," she said with a smirk. "He's just a military officer in the Imperium." _I can tell half truths too, she thought with a little chuckle._ It was better that he didn't know anyway. Too many people had tried to use her and it was genuinely nice to know that someone seemed to like her for just who she was and not for her position. "Anyway, my dad is a professor at the Satan City University and my mom's a politician."

"Oh wow… like what does your dad teach?"

"Quantum Physics. He use to be one of the leading researchers but then the Imperium showed up and he had to update all his knowledge. He's lucky my uncle gets him what he needs. Though daddy probably would have figured it out himself… just would have taken him a few extra years."

"Daddy?" Trunks laughed. "Your family seems close," he added a bit more soberly. "You're very lucky to have them."

Pan nodded; she knew she was lucky to have her family. "Yah."

Before the silence could stretch, the waiter returned with their meals. He set the large bloody steak in front of Pan and the lamb in front of Trunks. He also brought two glasses and filled them with red wine from a freshly opened bottle.

"This looks great, thank you," Trunks said.

"My pleasure sir… bon appetite," said the waiter as he left them to their meal.

Trunks slowly cut a piece of his lamb and thought about where else to turn the conversation. There conversation about family and Chikyuu brought back memories about his mom, his alternate mom and dad, and Goku and company. Suddenly he was filled with an urge to learn more about them. Pan had mentioned earlier that she knew this dimensions Trunks Briefs all her life. It was probably a bad idea to ask her about the Briefs since he was so intimately close to them, but there had to be some way for him to glean some knowledge from her about the Z-gang. It took him only a moment to realized how he could accomplish and get a bit more grounding in this dimensions timeframe as well.

"Hey Pan," he said as he took a bite. The food was delicious.

"Yah?" said Pan. She slowly finished her morsel. The blood of the steak was settling her nerves a little bit. _What I wouldn't give to go hunting right now._

"Don't think I'm an idiot for asking this or that I'm crazy."

"That's an interesting disclaimer… ok I promise I won't laugh at you," she replied winking at him.

"Haha… Ok, just out of curiosity you know who Cell is right?"

"Yes. Everyone knows who Cell is Trunks."

"Ok… Well who beat Cell?"

Pan just stared at him. Was this guy joking? Who on Chikyuu didn't know that Mr. Satan beat Cell? "Are you for real?"

"100 percent," he replied.

_Well if he really didn't know that I am Mr. Satan's granddaughter before I might as well let him know and find out how that affects him. Hopefully he won't freak out like half my other boyfriends. _"My granddad, Mr. Satan, beat Cell," she said with a more than just a hint of pride. She even put a little emphasis on the name _Mr. _Satan. He did after all contribute—even though it was her father that finished Cell off, everyone played a part and since they were all her family she could damn well take pride in it.

Trunks' reaction was not exactly what Pan expected. She expected shock, awe, fear, perhaps even indifference. The last thing she expected was to see hilarity. And hilarity was what it was. It danced in his eyes.

Trunks knew better than to laugh at her. He already knew that she wasn't the type of person who took being laughed at easily. Still, he found the fact that she had said that Mr. Satan had beaten Cell with so much pride to be extremely funny. He tried to suppress any sort of chuckle but he still let a small one out. He looked sharply up at Pan and saw her facial features change. They had been shocked at first and then her eyes narrowed dangerously and a very, very scary look crossed her face.

"How do you know?" she said very quietly, but he could hear it loud and clear. It was clear that he knew. Somehow someway he knew that Mr. Satan didn't beat Cell. This guy knew one of the greatest secrets in her family.

"uhh Pan?" he said hesitantly.

"I asked you a question… how do you know?" her voice was as cold as ice.

"Know what?" He was walking on thin ice. Ignorance was a good way to buy time.

"Don't pay stupid with me, Trunks," she hissed. "How do you know that my Granddad didn't defeat Cell…"

"Pan," Trunks said carefully. "It's not a big deal… I mean anyone who watched the Cell games with half a brain knew that your grandfather didn't beat Cell. Anyway my father was a great fighter-he could even use ki. He always thought that Mr. Satan was pathetic-no offense-and that it was impossible. I just happen to agree with him. Anyway it was probably that delivery boy that beat Cell. That's what I think." _All truth with a bit left out. _He was really getting good at this. Casually, he reached over to take a sip of wine. If he appeared calm then she would probably calm down to. God, she looked beautiful even when she was angry. She was like an avenging angel, he thought as he glanced over at her.

"Daddy was very careful never to take credit for Cell. We made sure that Granddad…" Pan stopped when she saw that Trunks' eyes had widened to the size of quarters, and that he was choking on his wine.

"Trunks?"

"GOHAN IS YOUR FATHER?" he gasped as loudly as he could through fits of coughing. Pan wasn't sure what was going on but Trunks had turned dreadfully pale and for the first time she had met him, she sensed that he was out of balance and that genuine fear ran through him.

"Yes… are you alright?" Her concern for him replaced the anger that she had only a few seconds before hand. It was hard to stay angry at someone who is choking to death before you and who seemed absolutely horrified of something you said.

"Yes… No… I mean yes I'm ok," stuttered Trunks. He had just been thinking lude thoughts about Gohan's daughter was disconcerting. He knew two Gohan's, the first was his mentor and it seemed disrespectful of him to be thinking such things. The second was 11 years old in his mind and that was just uncalled for. He didn't even want to go down that road. At least he knew why he was so attracted to her. That she had Saiyan blood was confirmed now. As he slowly started to regain his breathing abilities, he tried to explain what had caused the fit. "I knew your father when he was younger and that you are his daughter is a… not big… not major but a cataclysmic surprise."

"How could you have known my father? You don't look older than I am."

"I'm older than I look and I met him only what… a year or two ago. I just didn't know you were his daughter. He was… impressive…" Trunks said as he remembered Gohan battling Cell. That an eleven-year-old boy could defeat that monster was more than just impressive.

"Yeah… daddy can be overwhelming at times. Don't I know it," grinned Pan.

"Pan, I… how I know is part of what you'll have to hear when we catch up to my mom. In fact you'll probably figure it out before then, but I think its best if I don't tell you directly… anyway can you like, fill me in on what's going on in the Imperium. I am completely clueless about anything about Chikyuu or outside of it for that matter."

Pan looked at him. She knew he was telling the truth and she could sense absolutely no malice from him. Things with him went from completely normal to suspicious beyond imagining and vice versa in a blink of the eye. Trunks was the most successful and seductive agent ever or he was the real deal. She would take a chance and trust him. She just hoped that it wouldn't be a mistake.

"Ok, I'll tell you a little of the basics. Have you been in like another dimension?" she asked jokingly.

Trunks just smiled, "Yeah that's it."

For another hour they sat there talking about the history of Pan's dimension. She told him about how her Uncle Goten was now the Duke de Sirrus, and about the Emperor. She told him about the way the Empire was structured like old England was on Earth and the various political parties. She knew every nuance of politics and history. Trunks learned that the Emperor had personally tutored her since she was one of the last Saiyans and that the Emperor was Saiyan. Trunks knew without asking who the Emperor was. There was only one egotistical Saiyan that had survived Vegeta-sei that would want to become Emperor.

Over dessert they discussed philosophy and other topics ranging form likes to dislikes. Trunks found Pan to be an extremely classy and educated due to her association with Vegeta and her father. Yet, because of her tomboy past and Saiyan nature she was very down to Chikyuu (Earth). He also deduced that Pan worked for his father of this dimension in some capacity though she was very evasive of the question. However, what he wanted to know more was… why his mother and father of this dimension were not together. His mother was still on Chikyuu and his father was Emperor. From what Pan said earlier it seemed that his mother already had a family and that his father was not part of it. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know.

Dinner wound up to be excellent and after he had paid they slowly walked out into the park area around the restaurant.

"So… what else do you have planned or do we head back." She asked.

"We have a show to catch… it starts at 8 so we have to get going."

"Oh what are we seeing?"

"The Full Monty."

Pan stopped in her tracks and looked at Trunks. "Do you have any idea what the full Monty is about?"

"No… It had good reviews though."

Pan just broke into hilarious laughter, "Ok lets go… hurry up we don't want to miss any of this."

"Have you seen it?"

"No… I haven't, but I at least know what its about…"

"What's it about?" asked Trunks now wary and unsure about the show he was taking her.

"You'll see…" she grinned wickedly.

* * *

_Two hours later…_

Trunks walked out of the theater with Pan on his arm. Both were still laughing from the show. For Pan though, it was more than just the show but Trunk's reaction to so many parts of it. The look on his face when the curtain lifted and a very well built, a very handsome, a very sexy man jumped out onto the stage stripping away his clothing was priceless. She had nearly broken out into laughter in the theater. It had been obvious that he had no idea that the show would be about men stripping, though it was about a lot more. She was glad that he was smiling and seemed to have enjoyed it.

"I hope you enjoyed the show," he said to her as he put his arm around her waist.

Pan reciprocated by wrapping her arm around him as well and they slowly started walking down the street. "I enjoyed it very much… especially those luscious dancers." She felt Trunks stiffen slightly and then bark a laugh.

"Those dancers weren't anything special," he said haughtily.

"OH? I thought they were quite skilled… do you think you can do better."

Almost as on cue, the sounds of a loud bass beat came floating down the street where they were walking. "Yes… in fact I think I can, come on," he said as he grabbed her hand and went looking for the source of the music.

It took him only minutes to find the source with his enhanced Saiyan hearing. He slowly walked up to the entranceway. The bouncer at the door looked him and Pan over to make sure they were of the acceptably dressed to be let in. Deciding they were, he stepped aside and let them enter.

As they entered they saw that the club was pretty filled. There were a lot of people out on the dance floor and an equal amount crowding around the bar. Trunks worked his way through the crowd leading Pan along by the hand.

"I'd like a vodka martini please… and a long island ice tea for the lady," he said to the bartender. A minute later he was handed two drinks and he handed the ice tea over to Pan who drank it slowly.

"This is an interesting place… did you plan this Trunks?"

"No… I'm just going to show you how real men dance and not some actor."

"Oh… You are now are you… why don't you show me your stuff."

Trunks hesitated. He had learned to dance from his mother but it was not this type of dancing. He looked over the floor carefully and watched men, women, and things that he didn't know were what grind at each other. "I think I need a few more drinks," he said trying to stall for a bit more time to study the situation.

"Oooh… the liquid courage. Very good Trunks," Pan said as she polished off her drink, "Get me another one will you."

Trunks raised his eyebrow, "You sure?"

"I'm sure… I can out drink you any day big boy," she retorted playfully. Again she did not know his Saiyan nature and were he a normal man her claim would have been true.

Trunks quickly ordered several more drinks and he sat talking to Pan about the show for a few more minutes. After this third drink or so he decided it was enough time. That and he was beginning to feel the affects of the alcohol. Looking over at Pan she could see her looking at him with shining eyes.

He reached out and grabbed her hand and led her to the dance floor. The moment he got there he turned and pulled her to him. He could feel her pressing against his him. Her breathing was almost steady with the rhythm of the music and he could slowly feel it increase. Slowly he began to move to the music and moved her body along with his.

_Deep in my heart – There's a fire – a burning heart._

_Deep in my heart – There's a desire – for a start._

_I'm dying in emotion._

_It's my world in fantasy._

_I'm living in my, living in my dreams._

He pushed her away from him and began to move his body to the music. He came close to her, but never touching and all the while his eyes held hers. Never once letting them escape. Pan couldn't move, his eyes and movements hypnotized her. She could feel his hands… but they weren't touching her. His broad shoulders and hips moved seductively with the beat.

_You're my heart, you're my soul._

_I'll keep it shining everywhere I go._

_You're my heart, you're my soul._

_I'll be holding you forever._

_Stay with you together._

As the second verse began she broke the spell and put her hand on his waist. She began to sway seductively towards him. She too held the gaze and threw her own challenge back at him. Trunks took a hold of her hand and brought her even closer allowing their bodies to touch. She could feel herself pressed against his chest while his body continued to move them to the rhythm of the music.

Let's close the door and believe my burning heart.

_Feeling alright come on open up your heart._

_Keep the candles burning._

_Let your body melt in mine._

_I'm living in my, living in my dreams._

Her breathing was already ragged and she yearned for closer contact. Yet, without warning he raised his hand and twirled her away from him once… twice… three times before bringing her back and off her feet into his the cradle of his arm.

_You're my heart, you're my soul_.

_Yeah, I'm feeling that our love will grow._

_You're my heart, you're my soul._

_That's the only thing I really know._

Now with her back to him he pulled her close enough that she could feel his hot breath on her neck. It sent shivers up her spine and she whirled around intending to kiss him, she had enough of games. But when she faced him she only found herself drowning in his blue eyes again. They locked and he brought her closer to him and continued the dance.

When the song ended he was holding her around the waist while she leaned back into him with her head on his shoulder. Her breathing was ragged. She turned around and looked at him.

"Wow…"

He winked as he grabbed her again for another dance as another song started.

A little while later they returned to their suite. Trunks opened the door for Pan and they walked in together. He tossed his jacket on the couch and turned around to face her. Again, as he had done all night, he held her gaze in his own. Slowly he brought his lips down to hers and kissed her. Pan's heart was already fluttering… he had held her in anticipation for this moment all night. He kissed her first on the upper lip and when she opened her mouth to let him know that he was welcome, he slipped his tongue inside her mouth. Their tongues met and played with each other for an unknown amount of time before he finally broke the kiss.

"Good night Pan… sweet dreams," he said as he turned and walked away.

Pan stood there flabbergasted for a moment, "What..?"

Trunks turned around and winked at her for the upteenth time. "The best things in life are worth waiting for. Good night."

He opened the door to the room he and Buu shared. He looked back at her one more time and then walked in and closed the door.

Pan just stood there for a moment with her fingers touching her lips. _Is this guy for real?_ Sighing, she walked to her room and closed the door after a brief while. As she lay back on her bed, she could only think of one thing, a stunningly handsome man with purple hair. _Oh Pan… you've got it really bad._

_Next Time on A -Brief- Moment in Time: _

_Vegeta confronts Bulma on her slip up… What will the Emperor Vegeta do to Bulma? What secrets is she hiding from him? Find out on the next exciting episode._

_- song lyrics are property of Modern Talking._

Hey I worked really hard on this chapter-gimme a review!


	7. Chapter Seven: Dimensions of you

**Author's Note:** Please notify me of any grammar mistakes that you find in the story. **Reviews** would also be nice.

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 7: Dimensions

_On route to Sirrus 4…_

After her spat with Vegeta, Bulma stormed back to the separate room. The ship was not very large but there were two rooms in addition to an engineering section and cockpit. She had quickly grasped the design of the ship once she had read up on the physics of hyperspace and what was necessary to construct a ship that could withstand the rigors of space travel. It had not taken her long to figure out what her alternative self had included with the ship. The only thing that confused her were a few files that happened to be heavily encrypted with a code that she did not know. However, these things were the farthest things from her mind at the moment. Instead, she couldn't turn her thoughts away from a certain Saiyan Prince and his words.

_How dare he! My filthy paws! I TURN HIS STOMACH! Who DOES HE THINK HE IS?_ With a cry Bulma slammed her fist down on a wooden nightstand.

"Fffasc," she shouted incoherently. Pain shot through her hand and it snapped her out of her frenzied hate filled state. She clutched her hand with her other hand for a few moments waiting for the pain to subside. Slowly she unclenched and clenched her hand as she sought to evaluate the level of injury she had sustained.

"That damn Vegeta… this is all his fault," she muttered darkly. This was just not her day.

"Yes. Obviously your being a pathetic weakling is my fault." Bulma looked up to see Vegeta standing in the doorway looking down at her with disdain. There was something about that look though. It was intense, cold, and ruthless. Something in the back of her mind was trying to warn her of something, but she couldn't quite put it together. Where had she seen that look before?

"Go away Vegeta." She did not want to put up with his words. In fact she had all she could stomach from him. If he continued to goad her she knew she was going to lose whatever emotional self-control she had.

"I don't think so. Who are you?" he asked in a voice that he used regularly for his underlings. It was a voice that was condescending and that expected to be obeyed.

"Who do you think I am?" she shot back annoyed.

"I asked you a question. Answer it."

"Go screw yourself."

"I don't think so… tell me who sent you," he said in a voice so soft and dangerous that a shiver went up her spine.

"What? What are you talking about?" She said with heat that was slowly beginning to cool. She began to understand what was going on. He had thought she was the Bulma of his time, and she had not corrected him. She must have said something that didn't quite jive with his experiences with the other Bulma. Vegeta's natural paranoia was probably invoking all sorts of nonsensical images in his head.

"Vegeta, I'm Bulma…" she began slowly. She had to make sure that he understood what was going on; a paranoid and angry Vegeta was not something anyone—not even her—wanted to deal with.

"I don't believe that. It is irrelevant though. Tell me who sent you?" he repeated in a more commanding voice.

"Vegeta… I'm not lying and…"

She did not have a chance to finish before Vegeta sprang out from the door way and appeared right in front of her. Even without ki, he was so fast that her eye could barely follow his movement. His hand shot out and grabbed a hold of her blouse collar and twisted. He pulled her roughly to towards him until his face was inches from her. A single glance at his face told Bulma of his seriousness. His face was like granite, cold and emotionless. His eyes were even harder, even colder, if that were possible. She finally remembered when she had seen that look before. It had been on Namek. Then too he had threatened her life, and though he had not taken it, she was sure that he could have.

"Was it Kakkarot's boy? Has he betrayed me?" Cold fury now blazed in his eyes even though his tone was still cool, his voice barely above a whisper. Yet, the blaze in his eyes burned brightly and held an anger that Bulma had never seen before. Not even in their worse spats or even on Namek had she seen him this angry. She wasn't sure what had set him off but he was losing his grip on his temper fast.

"No one sent me… I came by accident… I don't know how I did it… it just happened." She was choking and was barely able to get those words out. She grabbed Vegeta's hand and tried in vain to pry his fingers loose.

Vegeta did not even seem to have heard her words. Rather, he was too caught up in his own thoughts. "Yes… it makes sense now. You showing up on the day of the coup. A perfect distraction and one only Kakkarot could have known of. Well played… indeed well played," she heard him say to himself.

Darkness was beginning to set in on her now as she began to feel her life leaving her body. Memories raced flashed in her mind. Some were happy, most were sad. A vivid image of Goku, Yamcha, and her on their Dragon Ball hunt came to her. Followed by another one of a special night; the night that Trunks had been conceived. It was a night when she and the man now choking her to death had spent passionately under an open starry sky. How ironic. Yet, even all those happy memories were tinged with sadness. Goku and Yamcha were to die at the hands of the androids. Vegeta would desert her in her time of need, and also fall prey to the Androids. Only young Gohan would survive and then be killed in defense of her son. Her son. Trunks. If there was one thing she was proud about, that still brought her joy, it was her son. He had grown into a fine man and would lead a peaceful life now that the androids were gone. He would marry, have a family… Wrapped in the memories of her son, Bulma's arms dropped limply to her side and she smiled that sad smile. Yet, her last word would not be that of her son's name… but rather of his father's, of the man who fate had assigned to hold her heart. "Vegeta," she whispered one last time before darkness enveloped her.

* * *

_Elsewhere..._

"Uh… captain?" asked the navigator of the luxury liner that Pan and Trunks were on.

"Yes?"

"Are there suppose to be destroyed hulks and stuff all around Sirrus 4?"

"What the?" The captain of the ship, _Atlantis_, couldn't believe his eyes. The entire system was littered with space debris. It seemed that a tremendous battle had been fought.

"What could have happened here?" asked the navigator.

"Well… I think we are about to find out…" said the Captain ominously.

On the radar screen three blinking dots had appeared and were moving very quickly on an intercept course towards the liner.

"We've got a communication sir."

"Put it online," replied the captain.

"This is the Imperial Dreadnaught, _Nigel_. In the name of Emperor Bojak identify yourselves."

_Emperor Bojak?_ Thought the Captain. _Something is definitely not right._

"This is the Star liner _Atlantis._ We are a licensed cruise ship making our yearly Mersis to Sirrus 4 run."

"Acknowledged _Atlantis._ Please reduce your speed and prepare to be boarded. You are too send over a passenger manifest immediately."

The crew of the ship looked at each other. Being boarded by an imperial ship was not something people experienced regularly. However, they didn't really have any choice. To refuse would be folly as they were almost totally unarmed.

"Yes sir… we will cooperate fully," replied the Captain. This would be trouble, especially for the passengers.

* * *

_Pan's ship…_

**Drip.**

**Drip.**

**Drip.**

Bulma's slowly came to consciousness. The last thing she remembered was Vegeta choking in her with a look of such fury in his eyes that she had thought she was going to die. In fact, she hadn't expected to wake up, not that anyone does when they get choked out.

She groaned softly as she groggily became aware of her surroundings. She was in the same room but that room was completely wrecked. The table was shattered into splinters and the bed destroyed. The walls looked as if they had been torched. She found herself bound, sitting up, on an old fashion chair.

_Vegeta sure was in a bad mood,_ she thought to herself, _Well at least I'm alive_. At the thought of him her emotions began to churn again. She frowned sadly and then let out a melancholy sigh. She had let something slip. He obviously had thought that she was some sort of spy that had come to hurt him. _As if I would… or EVER have hurt you Vegeta… I gave everything for you, did everything you wanted… you never gave me anything in return._ The bitter thought caused her to tear up and a small sob escape. At the sound, a hand cupped her chin in a not so gentle manner.

"So you are awake… You truly are weak to weep at such a small hurt," said Vegeta in a low, deadly voice. It caused a shiver of fear to creep up Bulma's spine. She didn't know what happened then, but it was probably the sound of his voice coupled with the intense fear she was feeling. Her head started to spin and somehow she became lost in her own memories. Suddenly she no longer saw Vegeta as the Vegeta of a new dimension, she saw him as the Vegeta of hers. The Vegeta that had abandoned her; the one that she had dreamed of confronting; the one that she had traded barbed insults with on a daily basis; the one that had challenged her mind and will.

She spat at him. Her spittle flew through her air and landing with a smack right between his eyes. His eyes flared with anger, but she wasn't intimidated at all. Not of her Vegeta at least, and that was whom she saw before him now.

"YOU BASTARD…" she screamed. Tears were running down her eyes openly now. Her still beautiful face was twisted up in anger. Yet it was an anger that overlaid a deeper sorrow.

"You god damn bastard, you faithless asshole, you left me to rot in misery for twenty years… you left me alone to face them… with no one… how could you have? How could you have…" she cried as she struggled to break her bonds. Somehow she managed to slip them and with a cry of fury she launched herself at Vegeta.

Vegeta did nothing to defend himself. There was no way the woman could hurt him and he knew it. However, it seemed that she had forgotten that little fact. He barely felt her first blow on his chest. Within moments she was pounding hysterically at him like a madwoman.

"Damn you, damn you, damn you…" sobbed Bulma, "Why did you leave me?"

After several minutes Bulma, exhausted, finally collapsed into Vegeta's arms.

Surprisingly he caught her. It wasn't something he intended to do, in fact thoughts of slapping her to snap her out of her hysteria had crossed his mind. But, he couldn't do it. He really couldn't harm her simply because he wasn't sure if it was her. He had to get to the truth.

"Who are you? Tell me who you are woman," he said softly without much heat. Her outburst was truly unexpected. The raw emotion that was emanating from her was plain enough to see. To switch emotions from fear to such passionate anger was… startling.

"Vegeta…" she said softly looking up at him. She felt his strong arms around her and let herself relax. It felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders after her spectacular outburst. She was exhausted, but it was like the exhaustion after a person exercises very hard. It was sweet and blissful. And now being held by him, she felt safe and secure—something she hadn't felt in a very long time. She made a decision. It might not be the best decision but she had to be truthful to this man; not only because he was dangerous, but because he still held her heart. Taking a deep breath, she slowly raised her head and looked him in the eye. "I guess you should know the truth, but… I'm afraid you won't believe me."

He didn't respond, but the anger had seeped away from him. He simply looked down and waited patiently for her to continue. It had been a very long time since he had held someone in his arms, in fact the last time he had done so was with her. Now that she was there again, with her body pressing against his chest, he didn't want to let go.

"I think… I think I need a drink. Then I will tell you all. Ok Vegeta?" She said as she reluctantly pushed away from him. This conversation was not one she was looking forward to.

"Fine, but this better be good or else."

Bulma smiled sadly. It was another one of Vegeta-trademark lines that had once made her chuckle at his ridiculous audacity. She quickly led the way to the kitchen and put on a pot of hot water. As she waited for the water to boil, she couldn't help but feel a little relieved. He really would have killed her she realized. There was something about this Vegeta that scared her more than the one of her time. Perhaps it was that the Vegeta of her time never cared about her and this one seemed to feel something for her. That he would kill her regardless was much more frightening. But then again, she thought, he hadn't done it. He'd calmed down and was patiently waiting for her explanation.

When the water had finished boiling she made tea for the two of them, just like the countless of times she had done with Trunks. It was a very awkward feeling that she was now about to sit across the table and talk with Vegeta, the man she had once loved—even if it wasn't the exact same man. It was saddening, but a small part of her was excited.

"Here." When Vegeta didn't drink she just smirked. "If I wanted to poison you I could have done it anytime before Vegeta. You really are paranoid," she said trying to lighten the mood.

"Speak your story woman. I have other things to do."

"Like what?" Seeing him getting angry again she decided to curb her tongue. "Ok ok… I'll get on with it."

"Simply put, I am not your Bulma," she started. She saw Vegeta's eyes instantly become alight with rage. "I'm Bulma from another dimension," she added quickly.

"What… what do you mean from another dimension?" asked Vegeta through gritted teeth.

"Ok let me explain what a dimension is," she said. "hmmm where to begin. Ok try to follow this. Think of a cube. It has dimensions right? Length, width, and height. It's called three-dimensional. Now if you add time there is a forth dimension. You have the cube at one second, the same cube at the third second, etc… But for this to happen the cube…"

"The cube has to have space to move from the first second to each subsequent second. Its called space-time woman, there is no need to explain such trivial things to me," interrupted Vegeta.

Bulma was shocked. Her mouth moved for a few moments but no sounds came out. Her Vegeta had never shown any capacity to understand science. All he did was eat and fight. Emperor Vegeta obviously had taken the time to learn something besides fighting. "Ok…ummm… well if you can access this space time then you can move between the cube at the third second and the first second or vice versa. But, the moment you do that the cube at the first second is then DIFFERENT from the way the cube was originally. Hence it is now a different cube… call it Cube2 and so when it reaches the third second its Cube2 at the third second and not Cube. So you now have two universes, or cubes, or what I term it dimensions, existing at the same time."1

"This is all theoretical woman. I have had my scientists work on this on occasion to see if there are faster ways to travel than hyperspace." He took a sip of his tea. It was made exactly the same way as he remembered it on Chikyuu, with a splash of milk and honey.

"Its not Vegeta. I made it work and the fact that I'm sitting across from you is proof."

"Hmmph," sniffed Vegeta, "How do I know you are just some person is impersonating Bulma."

"Well… ok lets see where this timeline split from the other. I assume we met on Namek since you seem to know me pretty well."

"How did we meet on Namek?" asked Vegeta lazily. He would put the woman to the question to see if she was indeed Bulma from another dimension. There were a lot of things that only Bulma knew about him and if what she was telling him was the truth then she would know. The best way to do this would to be to put her at ease and see if she slipped up.

Bulma sniffed sharply, "You threatened my life to get the dragon ball from Krillan, you heartless bastard."

"I thoroughly enjoyed that you know…"

"Not as much as I enjoyed watching you strut around in that pink shirt… bad boy…" retorted Bulma.

"Of course you enjoyed watching me. Shirt or no shirt I am irresistible."

"Please Vegeta… If I recall correctly, it was you who seduced me. Oh I admit I was attracted to you and even made a pass or two."

"Four," he corrected.

"Ok four, but in the end you came to me Vegeta," said Bulma quietly.

"I did no such thing woman," said Vegeta. He hadn't done anything of the sort. Rather it had been she who had come to him after another fight with the pathetic human Yamcha.

"You don't recall coming out of the training room and… and ummm taking me there in the living room?"

"No… I never did such a thing. You were the one to come to me the night you and that weakling separated."

"I remember that… I had just caught Yamcha cheating on me again and I was going to get my revenge. You turned me down though… apparently in this time you didn't," mused Bulma. "That could be the fork in the time line."

She looked at Vegeta and saw that he still didn't really buy what she was saying. There were, maybe, one or two memories that they shared together exclusively and she had to wonder if he had experienced them here. She knew they were some of the best, though probably craziest, times of her life.

"Do you remember the island Vegeta?" she asked carefully. She knew she had him when his head shot up and his eyes locked with hers. It had happened in this timeline as well. "I remember you taking me hunting there. Hunting as a Saiyan would, except that I wasn't a Saiyan so I had to use a spear. You were proud of me then weren't you? When I killed that boar without flinching and then shared his raw flesh with you."

She closed her eyes as the vivid memory came back to her. The smell and sight of a dead animal that had at first repulsed her, but in the end had intoxicated her. She had come close to understanding the Saiyan need for battle that night. The run, the hunt, and the sex had filled her with such elation that her very blood sang. "Yes… I accepted your Saiyan nature that night."

Vegeta said nothing. The memories were painful and he didn't really want to relive them. At the same time he didn't want to lose her company. He had been alone for such a long time. He had had no one to confide in. Even Goten, who was like a son to him, knew little about his earlier life. There had only been one person who had been able to open him up, and that person had refused him. Now, it seemed that a different version of the same person sat in front of him talking about the past. She knew him very well, he could tell. She understood all the nuances of his speech and body movement. She responded with all the right phrases. This wasn't something that Bulma could actually teach to someone. It was something that required time living together. _Perhaps she's telling the truth_, he thought. There was one problem though. If she was telling the truth then what was he going to do?

He slowly shook his thoughts away and lifted up to gaze upon her face. She had a little smirk on her face as if she knew that he was wrestling with himself.

"I'm telling you the truth."

"If you were not, I would kill you," he said flatly. He didn't know what to do. It was too much for Vegeta at the moment and so he did what he always did when he was at a loss for what to do. He threatened. "Don't think I won't hesitate to kill you woman. You have come very near to death."

"Pfft. You still have some serious issues, Vegeta. Do you always have to blabber out these meaningless threats?" retorted an exasperated Bulma.

"Are you saying that I won't carry through with my 'meaningless' threats woman?" Vegeta's eyes had narrowed menacingly, and his voice had become low and dangerous.

"No Vegeta… I know that you will carry out your threats, especially when pressed. I simply just don't care," she said with a sigh, as she put her head in her hands.

"Why?" he asked.

Bulma spread her fingers and looked at him through her hands in surprise. Vegeta caring for someone else other than himself? That was mind boggling. She couldn't help but ask in wonder, "What did you just ask?"

"I asked why," he repeated. "I am curious as to why you have this death wish woman."  
Bulma sighed. Slowly she stood up and walked over to the stove and poured herself some more tea. She then did the same for Vegeta.

"I'm tired. I'm what 39 years old now, but I feel like a hundred. In my dimension two killer androids devastated Chikyuu and killed every person I've cared about. I've lived in fear for twenty years day in and day out. Struggling to survive, struggling to find some way to destroy those two demons."2

"That is ludicrous. I would have destroyed those androids and if I were not there surely Kakkarot would have. I refuse to believe that the Saiyan race would have been exterminated by some machines."

"Well… Goku was dead already because he came down with a heart virus," she said. "And you… well you left me and then were killed by those androids."

"I left you?" boggled Vegeta. He had come to care for her greatly during his time on Chikyuu. She had been his confidant, his friend, and his lover. He knew that at the time he had no desire to leave her. In fact, he knew that he would take her as his mate.

"Oh yes… the moment you became a Super Saiyan you threw me off as if I were nothing but an old set of clothes." Her voice was bitter and even laced with a bit of hate.

Vegeta nodded in understanding. Her tone conveyed the same feelings he held for her counterpart of this time. Her story also explained the haunted and tired look in her eyes that he had been seeing. He was sure the over pampered bitch, Bulma, of this time was nothing like this one. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Do what about what?" asked Bulma baffled again. That was a very non-Vegetaesque question.

"Your life, what are you going to do about it now. You are not dead. Though if you wish it I can arrange it," he smirked.

"No, I don't think about suicide often," she chuckled, "I guess I just plan to drop you off at this Sirrus 4 place then fix a time machine to go back home. I guess I really should live to see my son get married at least."

"Your son?" asked Vegeta with a cocked eyebrow.

Bulma looked at him strangely and then realized that she hadn't mentioned Trunks at all. "Yes… I have a half-saiyan son."

Vegeta didn't say anything. He just raised his cup to his mouth and took a small sip.

"I assume the child is not Kakkarot's," he smirked. Of course the child was his. Yet, he could feel a hinge of jealousy within him. He had sometimes dreamed in the long years that he'd been alone that he'd had an heir… a child of his own blood that he could be proud of. That this woman had gifted the other him with such a blessing and that he had thrown it away was…

"Nappa's," she said deadpan interrupting his thoughts.

The cup in Vegeta's hand shattered. Vegeta's face was a sight to behold. It fluctuated between anger, and mirth. Anger if it was true, mirth if it wasn't. It was something he was afraid to believe in, and, at the same time, something too outrageous to be true.

"You…"

"Nappa was a beast in bed, I couldn't resist."

Gagging noises came from Vegeta.

"Our son is bald, just like Nappa. Never had a hair on his head ever."

Finally, Vegeta barked a genuine laugh. "Nappa had a full head of hair when he was younger."

She just smiled. "I'm very proud of him… he destroyed the Androids as a Super Saiyan and saved our world. So he has your strength and he's smart as a whip—he got that from me," she said with more than just a hint of pride in her voice. She got up, grabbed a rag to dry off the table and filled another cup of tea for him. "Trunks, that's his name, is our son Vegeta."

Vegeta slowly took a sip from his fresh cup. "If that were only true. But he is not my son, he is the son my counterpart of your time. There is a difference."

"That's true I guess," she replied carefully. She was curious about him now. He was very different from the Vegeta she knew. He seemed to regret that he had not had a child by her in this time period. That seemed a bit odd in Vegeta.

"So… how is it that you became Emperor," she asked cautiously.

Vegeta looked at her sharply from across the table. "Well… in this timeline you left me for that pathetic weakling."

"Are… Are… you are telling me that… **I**, Bulma Briefs, left YOU for YAMCHA?" Bulma looked at Vegeta in utter disbelief.

"Yes."

"That's a good joke Vegeta… almost as good as mine. I told the truth, the least you could do is do the same."

"I do not jest woman," he said in all seriousness. His face was dark with anger from the memories and Bulma could tell that it had hurt him deeply. That it still hurt him.

"Kami… You are serious. That's unbelievable. Dating Yamcha was like a living nightmare. All we did was argue. We never did get along together."

"That sounds like our relationship, Bulma," said Vegeta darkly.

"No… we were different. Yamcha wanted me to do things for him while he lazed around and did nothing. So he could just sit on the couch and drink. Or go out with his baseball buddies and come home to a meal, clean house, and sex. He'd take me out just to show me off. I always felt like I wasn't anything more than a trophy to him.

"Perhaps it was different in your dimension. Obviously here there was something you found more worthy in him."

_Oh well… her loss, my gain._ Bulma eyes widened as the thought flashed through her head. _Am I falling for Vegeta all over again?_ She thought. It was a dangerous thing, especially since she had come across dimensions. Also, she had to think about Trunks. What was he doing? How was he handling her loss? She had to let him know she was ok at least.

**"Attention. Now entering the Sirrus System," **the computer's voice chimed over the intercom.

_Damn, _thought Bulma. She really had wanted to learn more about this dimension's Vegeta. He was so similar, yet very different from hers. He seemed far more relaxed and mellow. She watched him slowly get up and head to the door. He looked so young still, but she knew he had to be much older than she was now. His body was still built as always and even with that hideous collar she found him very attractive.

"Well woman?"

"Alright… I'm coming with you."

As Bulma followed Vegeta up to the bridge of Son Pan's ship she felt something strange. At first she couldn't realize it, but it came to her eventually. She wasn't lonely. For almost two decades loneliness had been her constant companion, but with Vegeta she no longer felt it. No, instead another feeling slowly crept into her. Dread or perhaps fear. She was afraid that she would fall in love with him again. She had suffered one heartbreak that she had almost not gotten over. She wasn't sure if she wanted to risk another. Vegeta's words echoed through her mind.

_"What are you going to do now?" _

It was a question that she desperately needed an answer for.

**Author's notes:**

**1**: Ok… umm if you don't understand the whole dimension thing, don't worry neither do I. And don't quote me on that stuff either since I just made it all up. You could say I pulled it out of my ass. Anyway it's just my own idea. However, if there is someone reading who DOES understand how theoretical physics work, feel free to dumb it down for me and let me know!

**Next Chapter:**_The Space Liner which Pan and Trunks are on are boarded by Imperial Troops loyal to Bojak! Oh no! What will they do? What can they do? Also Vegeta and Bulma enter the system that is controlled by Bojak's people. Will Vegeta be captured. Will he and Bulma be separated again? Does true love wait? Do pigs fly? Find out on the Next Exciting Chapter of A -Brief- Moment in Time… _

_On NBC Thursdays…_


	8. Chapter Eight: Intermission

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 8: Intermission

_On board the Liner Atlantis…_

With a groan Pan slowly sat up in her bed. She stretched languidly and shook her head. She thanked Dende with all her heart for her Saiyan blood since she could feel the hangover that would have hit her had it not been for that. The backs of her knees were a bit sore from dehydration but otherwise she was fine. She rolled out of bed and wrapped a blue terry robe around herself. It was time to go look for her morning's lifeblood, coffee.

She opened her door and walked out only to be met by a sight that took her breath away.

There in the main living area Trunks sat shirtless doing pushups. As he dropped up and down she could see his muscles ripple. She could see that his physique was even better than she had imagined it. Frankly put, he was ripped. Every inch of him was muscle and not only was he lean but he was built as well. She couldn't help but imagine running her fingers up and down his body.

"Good morning, like what you see?"

His voice snapped her out of her reverie. She blushed. She actually blushed. It was something she hated doing, but not something anyone can really control.

"Good morning," she replied bashfully. She was absolutely appalled at her actions in his presence.

"Sleep well?"

"Yes… and you?"

He stopped doing his pushups and stood up in all his glory. Well he was wearing shorts so it was almost all his glory. "Very. I sleep very well after I drink usually."

She nodded. "Well, we should be arriving at Sirrus 4 and I can requisition us a ship there. We can then find your mom and my ship within days then."

He nodded and then went over and tossed on a black tank top then stopped. Suddenly his head shot up and it seemed as if he was sniffing the air or sensing for ki.

Pan stopped immediately. She instinctively understood his action as a warning sign. She too threw her senses out and there were hundreds of extra ki sources on the ship. Worse, many of them were much higher than any normal person's.

"Something's not right," he said.

"Buu? Buu you here?" she shouted.

"Pan… Buu here," came Buu's answer from the room him and Trunks shared.

"No action… no action unless I call for it. Got it?"

"Ok Pan," replied Buu.

"That goes double for you," she said to Trunks, "I don't care if you are ripped like a Greek god or know some type of martial arts. Nothing from you, no heroism. You aren't trained for it."

"Pan… I,"

"Trunks… don't even talk, just do as you are told," she snapped.

"Ok," he said, shocked at her abruptness. This was a side of her he hadn't seen. When he had first met her he had thought that she had been the tough bounty hunter type. He'd seen the kind dozens of times over right when the androids were defeated. Then she had surprised him last night and had been the perfect lady, elegant, classy, and intelligent. She had been witty at dinner and sensual on the dance floor. Now that was all gone. She spoke in a manner that expected obedience with no questions asked. Not only that, but from the way she just moved on after an order it was as if she was use to it. Check that, he thought to himself, he had seen it once before. At dinner she had snapped at the waitress, it was almost the exact same kind of tone.

There was a banging at the door and then a shout.

"Lady Son Pan, open in the name of Emperor Bojack!" came the shout.

_Lady?_ Thought Trunks to himself.

Pan didn't answer. She just walked over to the balcony. Using the wall as cover she peeked outside.

"No way out of here. Buu, no ki. If we use ki we'll end up killing everyone and ourselves."

Trunks took a deep breath. He had been about to do just that until he had heard Pan's warning. He knew that Pan was a Saiyan but he wasn't sure how powerful. His own senses told him that she could easily handle all the opponents on the ship. He also didn't understand what he she meant by no ki? He could sense that her power level had risen slowly until it had stabilized around to maybe a tenth of a Super Saiyan's. The highest other person on the ship was no where near that level, in fact if he could give it a scouter number he'd have to say the strongest other person was 1,500.

Buu was also a mystery. Through the entire time the pink creature had his power suppressed and Trunks knew it. Trunks could also tell that Buu was more powerful than Pan, but how much more powerful he didn't know.

After tucking several capsules away and giving them to Buu, who swallowed them, she walked over to the door and opened it. In front of her stood seven to eight soldiers all with scouters that were beeping with warning. All of the soldiers looked scared to death as well. Their weapons, which looked like guns, were aimed at her but none of their hands were steady. A tenth of a Super Saiyan's power at rest was only slightly impressive. If Trunks had to give it a number it would be around 100,000—the same as Captain Ginyu's.

"What is the meaning of this, major?" she said pointedly to the soldier who was in command.

"I'm a Colonel Ma'am," said the soldier to what he knew to be a deliberate insult, "You are to come with us. Emperor Bojack wishes an audience with you."

"I'd hate to disappoint the traitor. Why don't we be on our way then gentlemen?"

"One thing ma'am," said the Colonel. He pulled out two ki restraining collars and gestured for his men to place them on Pan and Buu. "I'm going to have to put one on you and your companion."

It was then he noticed that there was a third person in the room. Pan followed his gaze as he looked over Trunks, who was leaning against the wall with a bored look and a very familiar smirk on his lips.

"He has no ki," she stated flatly.

"We'll see about that," he said as he pushed past her. He scanned Trunks carefully with his scouter and came back with a result, 6. Not satisfied he walked over and punched Trunks straight in the gut.

"Agh…" grunted Trunks as he bent over and then collapsed on the ground. Not that it actually hurt but he had to make it look good. He then kicked him a few times until he felt that Trunks was past the point of taking abuse.

Pan tried moved to help Trunks but was restrained by three men. Even though the collar was on her she was still much stronger than an average soldier. It took three of them to subdue her.

The Colonel shook the hand he had hit Trunks with a little. _Damn, the boy was like a wall of steel,_ he thought. He checked his scouter again. It was now four.

"Pick up the boy for questioning. Lady Pan, and Mr. Buu will accompany us to the _Nigel." _

"Yes Sir!"

Pan, Buu, and Trunks went quietly with the group of soldiers. As they went out, a crowd had gathered and watched as they were escorted out of the building and onto a jerry that took them to the awaiting cell.

* * *

_Sirrus System… _

Bulma sat down at the navigator's chair on as the ship entered the system. She immediately noticed that something was not right.

"Vegeta, we have a lot of debris out here. It doesn't seem to be normal," she said.

"Obviously woman. This is not good… how far have we come into the system from the hyper point?" he asked.

Bulma quickly checked the navigation instruments. In the week or so that she had been in this dimension she had learned a lot, especially about hyperspace and navigation. She was far from being an expert but she was at least beginning to pick up things.

"Five minutes or so… is that good?"

"We'll find out," he said. Vegeta also looked over at the sensors. "Shit. Those aren't Sixth Fleet units, those are Bojack's. The boy must have withdrawn."

"Who… what are you talking about Vegeta?"

"I speak of Kakkarot's brat. He is the commander of the fleet that is based here. Turn us around and plot a new course to Chikyuu."

"Gohan is your commander? To Chikyuu?"

"No, that brat isn't fit to be a Saiyan. I mean Kakkarot's other spawn. We do not have time to speak of this now woman. Turn us around and get us out of here. "

"I'm not sure if we have enough fuel to make it to Chikyuu Vegeta. "

Vegeta nodded. "We can stop at the Mersis system for fuel. There are a large number of humans there so we should be able to get through undetected."

"Ok then. I'll set course for… ummm… Vegeta we have company."

"What?" Vegeta quickly moved over next to her and looked at the screen. "A destroyer only. Do not fret yourself. The other pickets are over there. You see where the three dots are and the fourth red dot."

"Yes."

"Turn us around," he pointed at the screen to a few coordinates. "We are lucky that most of them are pre-occupied with another ship otherwise we may have been caught. We should be fine."

Nodding in understanding, Bulma slowly turned the ship around and piloted it towards the edge of the system. Seven minutes later they were gone.

* * *

_On board the Dreadnaught Nigel…_

The _Nigel_ was one of the newest ships in the Imperial Fleet. It was almost a kilometer long and a third as wide. With almost eight thousand crewmembers it was almost a large floating, moving city. It was also the flagship of the Imperial second fleet; one of the seven fleets of the empire.

Pan and Buu were marched off the shuttle that had taken them here from the _Atlantis_ under heavy guard. Almost a hundred soldiers surrounded them. Trunks, on the other hand, was carried off by soldiers who thought that he had been beaten badly. Of course he was not injured whatsoever. He simply feigned being hurt and waited for a chance to escape.

The launch bay where they disembarked was huge. It was easily the size of a city block and like a city block people were hustling and bustling about their business as quickly as they could. Several other shuttles also were docked in the same bay.

"Lady Pan," came a strong human baritone. Trunks looked at the man approaching while still pretending to be unconscious. The man was human and had a decent power level, around 15,000. He had dark hair, brown eyes, and was just a little bit taller than Pan. His uniform was immaculate, and had several ribbons pinned on it.

"Well, well. Commodore Anders," sneered Pan. Somehow she made his name sound as if it wasn't fit to be dirt on her shoe. "Where is Admiral Felins?"

"Admiral Felins is no longer with us. I am now commander in chief of second fleet."

"Ahhh… A four grade promotion Admiral… bought in blood," sniffed Pan. "And I was just wondering if it was my imagination when I thought the air was a bit rancid in here."

"Witty Pan… Its too bad your uncle isn't here to bail you out again," said the Admiral, "Speaking of which… Where exactly is your uncle?"

Pan did not say a word. She did not have anything to say, but she had to fight hard to keep from trying to strangle this bastard.

"Yes… you see we don't know where he is. But… we do know that with you in our hands, he will come to us."

"My uncle is not foolish enough to fall into such an obvious trap."

"Perhaps, but if he won't fall for the trap then I'll just have to settle for the pleasure of seeing your pretty little head detached from your shoulders. A satisfactory conciliation prize."

Pan glared at the man that stood before her. "You are a traitor Anders, and you will get what all traitors deserve. Mark my words."

"Marked," he laughed. "You truly think too highly of yourself Pan. You aren't anything but a spoiled brat who hides behind the coat of the Saiyan. Without him, you are nothing."

He made a gesture to the soldiers around him. "Take her away… and make sure they are kept in separate cells."

"Yes sir!" chorused the Troopers. They gathered around Pan and Buu and escorted them down one of the myriad of corridors to their detention rooms.

As Pan was led away from him the Admiral felt a strange foreboding. He wasn't sure what it came from. He didn't notice Buu whistling happily as he was being led to his cell.

* * *

_Chikyuu…_

The shuttle slowly touched down on the concrete platform at the Satan City Spaceport. Satan city had changed much since the Buu saga. It was now a wondrous place full of advanced technology that had been given to Chikyuu by the Imperium. Pollution had been eliminated and the city was crisp and clean. Crystal like buildings soared high into the sky everywhere. Speeders, and Capsule Cars flew from building to building and on various unseen airways. It was a wondrous sight to behold.

Son Goten, sat looking out of the shuttle window thinking of how to solve a serious problem. Few people knew his persona on Chikyuu. There were the people who served with him when he first took up the Vegeta cause during the Union Wars, but almost all of them were either dead, or still in service. Certainly, no one on Chikyuu knew that he was a Duke. He had made sure that whenever he had come home for a visit to his family that he had shed all his titles and honors. Whenever he had come home, he had been Son Goten, never the Duke de Sirrus. Even his family, minus Pan, had no real concept of what he had become. They had no conception of how much power he wielded or what his title obligated him to do. Even though his mother had been a Princess, she had never had power over people. As for his father, he just had no understanding of politics or social institutions in general.

"M'lord, we have arrived on Chikyuu," came the voice of the pilot.

"Good. Drop me off here and return to the rendezvous point. Have Emma bring her task force here in ten days time."

"Your will lord." The messenger saluted and flickered off the view screen.

Goten slowly stood up and exited the shuttle. He was dressed in plain clothes. A white shirt graced his muscular shoulders and he wore a pair of khakis. He had a bright yellow bag slung over his shoulder and he looked like a tourist just returning from an outing in outer space. He looked around and smiled when he saw several hands waving at him. He quickly walked toward his family with a huge smile plastered on his face.

"Mom!" He embraced his mother in a fierce hug and lifted her up off her feet. He was genuinely happy to see her, as it had been five years since he had last set foot on the planet.

Chichi had tears in her eyes as she felt her son's strong arms wrap around her. "Goten, it's about time you came home to see your old mom," she joked.

Goten just smiled and kissed her on the cheek. He then turned to face the other members of his family. He grabbed his father's hand in a strong shake and brought him in for a huge. "Dad, you look the same as always."

"You've been training Goten. I can feel it, you are a lot stronger than the last time you were here," Goku remarked. He looked at his son with pride in his eyes. Goten had really grown up.

"Heh, just a little bit dad," replied Goten smiling.

"I'll bet. I can tell you are already a lot stronger than me," said Gohan as he walked up to his brother and clasped his hand as well.

"That is because you spend way too much time on the books," smirked Goten as he put an arm around his brother. "Do you get out to train much?"

"He goes once a week or so to train with Dad," came Videl's voice. "Good to see you too Goten."

Goten laughed. He hugged Videl as well and then began to walk towards a waiting air car. "It's always a pleasure Videl," he smirked. "How's politics treating you?"

"Great… I'm a member of Parliament from Satania now."

"Moving up in the world now Videl. Next thing you know you'll be Prime Minister of Chikyuu."

"Working on it Goten… working on it," smiled Videl.

"So how's my daughter?" asked Gohan.

Goten stiffened. If Gohan had any idea what his daughter was up to he'd blow a fuse or two. Maybe three. "Oh she's fine. She hasn't contacted me in a while but just the other day I left her a message to meet me here. She'll be here soon."

"Really… that girl is just so irresponsible sometimes. I'm going to have to insist that she comes back to Chikyuu and settle down."

"Gohan… that might not be a good idea. Pan is 20 years old and can take care of herself."

"She's still my daughter."

"Yeah… but she needs to have her own life. She isn't like you Gohan. Her Saiyan side craves more."

"Like you? Is that what you are saying? That she give in to her Saiyan Side." Gohan's voice was rising along with his temper.

"Yes like me, and no she doesn't have to give in. She needs an outlet and she can't find it here on Chikyuu."

"Yes she can," said Gohan through gritted teeth. Videl put a calming hand on his shoulder. This was an old argument. Pan had left with Goten when he had come back five years ago. It had caused a massive rift between the brothers. Pan had always been a Tomboy and her Saiyan nature always craved adventure, violence, warfare, and competition. Chikyuu was just too peaceful to provide that for her and it had been driving her insane. Her grades had dropped; she had always been getting in trouble. Goten had even caught her doing drugs. It was then he decided to take her with him. He knew the problems she faced since he had faced them himself. It was the same reason why he had left. So he took her into space. There she could grow into the full of her being, not just half. He didn't think his brother had ever forgiven him for taking his little girl away.

"So how's the explorer business Goten?" asked his father changing the subject. He gave a pointed look at Gohan to let it drop.

"Oh… I've given that up pretty much. I just run Sirrus 4 and send people out to do exploration missions," breathed Goten. He was thankful that his father had changed the subject. Goten couldn't quite understand Gohan. He knew that his father's Saiyan side was suppressed a bit because of the head injury. Gohan, on the other hand, should have had it raging through him all the time. Sometimes even he thought Vegeta was right. Gohan was a pathetic excuse for a Saiyan.

"Really?" said Videl. "The Duke is coming to Chikyuu I hear. Have you met him?"

"Uhhh…" This is what Goten had been afraid of. He had never actually told his family that he was nobility in the Imperium. Worse, his own persona was so different as the Duke he was afraid that his family might lose respect for him. He'd faced down thousands of soldiers, been through the most terrifying battles, and faced death itself countless of times, but he did not want to lose his family. Of all things, they were what he treasured the most. "Yeah… I know him. Quite well in fact."

"Really? You think you could introduce us at the reception?" asked Videl. "I'd like to see what he's made of. You hear so many stories about this guy and you gotta take it all with a grain of salt. Some of them are just way outrageous."

"What reception?" asked a startled Goten. He had no knowledge that he had to be at some reception.

"The reception at Capsule Corps," replied Gohan. "Even I knew that. The Duke is supposed to be received at Capsule Corps for a welcoming party. Everyone is going to be there."

"I didn't know that." Goten's eyes widened a little bit. He then pulled his personal electronic device out of his pocket and checked his schedule. Lo and behold there it was, 6pm Tomorrow -Reception Dinner. He was going to kill his aide for dropping this on him.

"Well you want to come? I can arrange an invitation for you," asked Videl.

"Yeah I guess I have to go. Don't trouble yourself though. I've already been invited," he said somberly. "Kasaan, Tousan. Are you two going?"

"Yes we are. We haven't seen Bulma in years. Anyway cheer up, Goten," his mother said, "I hear Trunks will be there with his fiancé. You two can catch up."

"Oh… Trunks is getting married?"

"Well… that's what I heard," replied Chichi, "Videl?"

"Actually I have no idea. The guy is the biggest playboy around. Its hard to imagine him settling down."

As soon as Videl closed her mouth, and as if on cue, three stomachs growled loudly. Three sets of eyes widened slightly and then three sets of hands went behind three sets of heads.

Chichi and Videl stood staring at three sets of identical expressions, the classic Son grin.

"Ok I guess you guys are hungry. Goku take us home," she said as she put her arm in his. Everyone knew the routine and quickly touched each other. In a flash they were gone, leaving behind a shocked crowd of onlookers.

* * *

Next time: Trunks and Pan's escape from the Nigel…Will they run into problems? Will some sinister force appear to stop them? Will the lack of Ki use on starships cause them to fail? Find out next time! 


	9. Chapter Nine: The Ki be with You

Author's Note: This chapter ended up to be a little Star War-ish. This was due to the fact that I wrote it like two days before Attack of the Clones came out. Hopefully you'll like it anyway. Leave a **review**.

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 9: The Ki be with you Trunks.

_On Board the Nigel…_

The cell was clean. Its Spartan walls were starch and an electric force field separated Pan from the door. She knew that the door itself was made of a reinforced titanium alloy that was almost impervious to any ki attack. It was also strong enough to keep anything short of a Super Saiyan in. So she waited patiently and tried to piece together recent events.

She knew that Vegeta had been overthrown. At the same time she also knew that he was not dead. She was sure that she would have felt his passing if that had been the case. Bojack had a very tenuous hold on power if Vegeta remained at large. He could expect support from his own fifth fleet as well as the fourth and seventh. However, the first and second fleets were the border troops and would probably remain neutral. Their job was to protect the Imperium from Cooler who was by far a greater threat than Bojack or at least that would probably what they would believe. Vegeta would have support from sixth and third fleet, or whatever survived from the opening battles. It would be a hard fight but she was sure Vegeta would win. Without a doubt, the Emperor was heading for Chikyuu. After all, Goten would be headed there and there was no doubt in her mind that Vegeta would meet up with his right hand man to plot a counter assault.

Pan was very worried about her uncle. Bojack must have made a move against him, and one that would have been well planned out. One did not mess with the Duke de Sirrus in a half-ass manner. Many had found that out during the Union Wars. Of those, none were now living.

Of course, she had to worry about herself but escaping shouldn't be too difficult. The problem was Trunks and in her idleness her mind once again turned to him. The last thing she saw of him was that some soldier had beaten the crap out of him. While she and Buu could probably escape with their superior strength, speed and imperviousness to weapons, Trunks could not. After all, he was only a normal human being. As much as it pained her, she might have to leave him behind. She had a duty to her family and the Imperium and she had to place them first, even before a man she was beginning to fall in love with—Yes, she was sure of that. She'd try her best to help him, but her best might not be good enough.

For two hours she sat in the cell waiting impatiently. _What the hell is he doing?_ She thought angrily as she paced back and forth impatiently. After another ten minutes her sharp Saiyan hearing finally picked up something. At the same time she saw the force field drop. _These idiots really don't know who they are messing with,_ she smirked.

As she stood there, the door slowly began to groan and a few seconds later it was ripped off its hinges.

"Yummmmmy" announced Buu as he stood there popping pieces of chocolate into his mouth. Pan didn't want to think about what he was REALLY eating.

"About time Buu. I was getting worried there."

"No worry Pan… Buu save you!"

Pan just chuckled. "Ok lets get the hell out of here. Lets get to the shuttle bay and then hijack a shuttle."

"Trunks?" inquired Buu.

"We'll get him on the way. Do you sense his ki anywhere?"

Buu and Pan both took a second to use their Ki senses to find Trunks but neither could feel him.

**PRISONER ESCAPE! **

The voice over the announcement was cut off almost immediately. Klaxons immediately came to life and began to blare a harsh whirling sound.

Pan whirled and looked at Buu, who just shrugged. The two of them immediately started to move so that they wouldn't be caught. Out of nowhere, the entire ship shook on its foundation as if an explosion rocked it.

"What the?" Pan exclaimed, "Some idiot is using KI on a starship? Lets get the hell out of here Buu and keep a damn eye out for Trunks."

Buu nodded and the two of them ran down the hallway towards the shuttle bay.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

A little while before Pan and Buu made their escape, Trunks was sitting idly in his cell as well. Unbeknownst to his captors, he hadn't been hurt at all and he was now trying to figure a way out of his cell. He could have simply gone SSJ and blown his way out, but he did remember Pan telling him not to use Ki. He was smart enough to realize that there had to have been a good reason for it and that unless he was in a lot of trouble he would do just as she had advised. He needed an alternate plan.

A while later, the door to his cell slowly opened and he saw three burly guards standing at the entrance. Both were armed with some type of rifle.

"Lay face down on the floor," commanded the first guard. It was obvious that they wanted to move him to another cell for some reason or another. Most likely it was for questioning. They probably wanted to get some information out of him about Pan. He wasn't about to let that happen. Anyway, these guards were fools for thinking that he couldn't get to them before they shot him.

Trunks didn't hesitate and sprung at the guard. He reached out with one hand and threw the forward guard into the wall knocking him out. Before the two other guards could react, Trunks moved with a speed that they didn't know was possible and punched both of them in the gut causing them to collapse unconscious from the pain.

"Well that was easy," said Trunks to himself as he walked out into the hallway. Unfortunately, he had no prior experience in the art of prison breakout so he didn't realize that there would be a guard that was assigned to remain behind just in case the prisoner overcame the others, however unlikely that was.

"PRISONER ESCAPE!" shouted that guard into an intercom and then the klaxons began to blare.

"Damn," swore Trunks as he moved and knocked the guard out.

Without warning several laser blasts flashed by him striking the wall on the other side. Trunks turned to see five soldiers running towards him. The next volley struck him and because he didn't have his ki raised they flung him to the ground.

"That fricking hurt…" he growled. Anger clouded his senses. He lashed out instinctively at the soldiers who had dared try to harm the Prince of all Saiyans. Trunks jumped to his feet and flung a ki blast down the hallway at the soldiers. Of course as soon as the blast exploded it incinerated the troopers. However, it did something Trunks didn't expect. It incinerated an entire three decks, tearing a gaping whole in the middle of the ship. Trunks could feel the entire ship shuddered in response.

"Kami… no wonder I'm not suppose to use Ki…" he gasped in terror as the ship rocked. He could hear the hull buckling and that scared the daylights out of him.

**Emergency! Emergency! Emergency!**

Trunks ran over to where, when they had brought him in, he had seen the guards stash his capsules. He ripped off the massive locks with ease and grabbed them. Double-checking that they were unused, Trunks didn't stick around to see what was happening to that particular area of the ship. He ran as fast as he could down the hall way on the other side of the 'accident'.

As he ran he encountered various members of the ships crew. Some of them tried to stop him, only to find themselves tossed aside like rag dolls. The smarter ones avoided him and scurried to try to contain the damage that he had caused. With the ship severely damaged and the crew feverishly working on trying to save the ship, Trunks was able to acquire himself a uniform. Under disguise, he quietly slipped unnoticed through the ship in search of Pan's ki.

* * *

"What is the meaning of this Admiral Anders?" The voice was hard and held no compassion what so ever.

"Lord Gokuya, it seems that we have had an escape. I am not sure how it is possible with ki restraining collars but apparently its so. We are hunting them down as we speak."

"I do not like the feel of this Admiral. I think I will go down to make sure that your people succeed."

"As you wish. We should have the situation under control in a moment," replied the Admiral.

"See that you do Admiral, See that you do," said the blue skinned minion of Bojack.

* * *

Trunks turned another corner and found him facing several dozen troopers. They had obviously set up this check point just to make sure that either he ran into it, or that Pan didn't double back. All of them were armed with lasers and with the profiles of the prisoners.

"Halt!" ordered the troopers. Of course Trunks did no such thing, rather he ducked back around the corner milliseconds before laser blasts struck the spot he had been standing in. He now faced a dilemma. He couldn't use ki blasts to wipe them all out, nor could he just take them out hand by hand without being hit by those weapons. It took him only a moment to realize that ki blasts, and hand to hand were not his only skills. He grabbed one of his capsules and pressed it. With a flash, his sword appeared in his hand and he strapped it around his back. Drawing the blade, he examined it quickly to make sure that it hadn't been fiddled with while he was in the cell.

"Come out or we'll come in after you scum!"

Trunks stepped out into the middle of the hallway with his sword in one hand. His face was as calm as it was when he had faced down Freeza three years before. "I think you should let me pass," he said. His voice was as cold as a mountain stream.

"Drop that pig sticker or we'll shoot," shouted one of the troopers. The trooper checked his scouter and saw that Trunks was still sporting a power level of five. How that man moved as quickly as he did boggled the troopers mind.

Trunks didn't say a word. He just started to walk forward. The look on his face was enough to cause the troopers pause, but not for long. They opened fire.

Laser blasts flashed towards him with incredible speed. However, his Saiyan senses were use to dealing with ki blasts that flew at him at light speed. The laser blasts were no different from them. In fact that's what the weapons actually did, produce tiny ki blasts that were fired at opponents.

Trunks blade whirled and deflected the blasts as if they were nothing. He leapt forward and continued to block the coming blasts with ease. As soon as he reached the first soldier, he swept out with his sword and cut him in two. Dodging another blast he took down a second soldier, then a third, and then a fourth. Within seconds the entire platoon had been decimated.

Trunks just smirked. He couldn't use Ki blasts or ki empower his muscles, but then there were always ways to get around such issues. He continued to move towards where he felt Pan's ki.

* * *

Pan and Buu turned another corner. In front of them were about twenty soldiers. _What a bunch of idiots_, she thought. "Put down your weapons and return to your quarters. I promise a fair court martial for you traitors," she yelled down the corridor.

The response was several blasts that struck past her. "Ok Buu… take care of them."

Buu stepped out into the corridor and before the guards could react a lightning bolt zapped them from the little protrusion that came out of Buu's head. They were instantly turned into Chocolate.

"Hmmm… more Chocolate," mused Buu as if that were a serious problem to be contemplated. "Maybe Jelly Beans next time Pan. Buu sick of chocolate."

"Ok, Jelly beans next time Buu," she agreed. She quickly darted into the shuttle bay and noticed that the crews were preparing several of them for departure. "Ok… the one on the right Buu. Take those guys out and I'll drop into the cockpit."

**Zap!**

**Zap!**

**Zap!**

Three crewmembers were turned into jellybeans without anyone noticing. Pan stealthily slipped by them, which wasn't really a challenge since they were jellybeans, and dropped herself into the shuttle. The first thing she saw was the face of a doglike alien. The first thing that the alien saw was the floor. Pan dragged the body to somewhere clear and then proceeded to the cockpit. She wouldn't have to worry about tying the guy up or anything since Buu would just turn him into something edible. Pan kicked open the cockpit door and reached out and grabbed the pilot, who was making flight preparations. It wasn't a fair fight. The results were pretty obvious when the pilot joined the other maintenance personal as sugar coated candy.

"Ok Buu, give me two minutes and I'll have this thing ready. Get down and make sure no…" Suddenly she felt a massive ki surge. It was enormous and easily the level of a Super Saiyan, perhaps beyond but it was a dark power. A moment later she felt another massive surge from a different source. _What the hell?_ She thought to herself. There were some serious maniacs on this ship. Releasing high level ki inside ships was absolutely insane. On planets releasing ki caused rocks would rise up and disintegrate and so on, but on a ship, the same reaction was fatal. A ships superstructure couldn't handle the stress of ki.

So when the two massive ki signatures ignited, it did not surprise that the ship rocked with a massive explosion a few seconds later. The power and lighting went out and the emergency lighting systems went on. Then another explosion rocked the ship and another. The ship was coming apart and Pan knew that they had to get out of there. She frantically concentrated on getting the ship up and running so they could get the hell out of there.

* * *

_Minutes before..._

Trunks continued to pick and choose corridors in an attempt to get closer to Pan. He had encountered three or four groups of soldiers and had massacred them with ease. He didn't real feel good about it, but he was a hard man. He had been brought up in a hard world where taking life was sometimes the only option available.

As he entered through an archway that he thought led to where Pan was, he found himself overlooking a massive bridge. He was in the central power core of the ship and he saw several bridges above and below him. The core must have easily been eighty stories high and it was heavily shielded. In fact he was sure that anything short of a Super Saiyan's power wouldn't even scratch it.

He started to cross the bridge when he saw another squad of Imperial Troopers line up. In response, he unsheathed his sword and prepared for battle. However, the troopers never fired. At an unseen signal they broke apart and retreated, leaving behind only one person behind.

The man who had remained behind had a powerful ki level. He as tall, and well built. His skin was a light shade of blue and his hair orange. He too wore a blade.

"So you are the boy that has been causing all this trouble. I am Gokuya, Blademaster to Emperor Bojack."

"Good for you," responded Trunks. He moved to a fighting stance with his blade pointed outwards.

"Now that's quite rude boy. I like keeping track of all the people I kill." Gokuya also moved into a fighting stance with blade in hand.

"You won't need my name then," said Trunks in a low voice.

"Cockiness will get you nowhere." Gokuya attacked as he spoke. He whirled ran towards Trunks and slashed downwards with a tremendous blow that would have snapped any ordinary blade and killed any normal person. Trunks was far from normal however, and nor was his sword. He parried the blade downwards bringing it into contact with the floor. He then head-butted Gokuya in the face and sent him reeling backwards. Trunks gave Gokuya no chance to recover. He moved and thrust forward, intending to pierce his opponent in the chest. His blow was parried and in response he adjusted his grip and came back with a slash only to be blocked again.

Gokuya stepped back after the initial clash. The boy had impressed him with his speed and strength. However, Gokuya was a master swordsman and had decades of experience. It never even occurred to him that the boy could win. After a brief pause he opened again. This time he struck with a sideswipe, which the boy leapt over. Gokuya chuckled to himself at the boys move. It was amateurish, something done in movies but not in real combat. That the boy would even try something like that prove to Gokuya that he would be an easy victim. With practiced ease, he whirled around and blocked the blow from behind. He smirked and shook his head at Trunks.

"You have much to learn of the art of the blade, boy," he said. "Unfortunately you will never get to improve."

Trunks merely growled and attacked with a flurry of strikes. Again and again the two blades clashed. Trunks had strength and speed on his side, but Gokuya's experience easily made up for it. Neither were gaining the advantage and the battle continued to rage on. Sparks flew on the bridge as the swords rang against each other.

After several minutes Trunks was getting frustrated. He could finish this guy easily if he could just use ki, but he didn't dare. He thrust again in an attempt to impale the bastard, but his blue skinned opponent side stepped, then countered. Trunks realized his mistake then. He could do nothing as he saw the blade slash across his arm and slice through his flesh. Falling back, he gritted his teeth and blocked out the pain.

Gokuya smirked as he saw the blood begin to flow down Trunks' arm and drip onto the floor. The fight was over now, the boy had no chance with a wound. He just had to take his time and let blood loss take its toll. He lashed out again with his blade. Trunks blocked it, but Gokuya spun and delivered another strike with the speed of a cobra. Caught slightly off balance, Trunks failed to block it and this one slashed across his lower ribs. However, just as he struck Trunks, Gokuya felt a massive punch to his own gut. He dropped to one knee and brought up his sword just in time to block Trunk's sword from decapitating him. Instinctively he powered up and kicked Trunks in the chest sending him flying into the wall on the other side of the bridge.

Trunks knew he couldn't beat the guy the way he was now. He removed himself from the wall and powered up. _To hell with the ship's safety…_ He dropped down and launched another attack with his sword against Gokuya this time powered up. The blades clashed again and the sheer force of it shook the bridge. As they both powered up, the bridge that they stood upon began to buckle and the other bridges began to break apart. For the moment the shielded core was untouched.

Trunks knew he was weakening from the blood loss. The arm wound was a mere flesh wound but the slash across his ribs was beginning to tax him. He had to end it soon. However, before he could do anything he felt a massive surge of ki and felt Gokuya fling him upwards. Before he could react, he saw Gokuya in his face and felt himself being struck into the far wall again. Grimacing in pain, Trunks had no time to waste. Gokuya was flying towards him now at full speed with his blade before him. His intentions were clear, he was going to drive that sword through Trunks and end the fight once and for all. There was only one thing Trunks could do to save himself. He went Super.

With a cry, Trunks ki rose exponentially and the wall around him disintegrated. His eyes turned from blue to turquoise and his hair flared upwards into the golden locks of a Super Saiyan. Just as Gokuya's blade came downwards, Trunks' free hand shot up, and caught the blade and snapped it in half. His opponent had only a fraction of a second to realize that he had loss before Trunks plunged his own sword into his gut. Trunks then spun, decapitating the man, and sent his soul to hell.

As Gokuya's body dropped down onto the bridge below, Trunks descended and dropped out of SSJ. He looked around and saw there definitely was a reason why Pan had told him not to use Ki. The entire wall was breaking apart and he could feel the ship shivering. The power was flickering and explosions from fried circuitry were occurring with more and more frequency. The ship was falling apart.

**Warning! Warning! Core Containment Breach in one minute. Abandon Ship.**

Trunks didn't know what a Core Containment Breach was, but it didn't sound good. He DID know what abandon ship meant and that was very ominous. He ran out the opposite door that he came through and powered up. In doing so he saw parts of the ship disintegrate around him but he knew he had to make it to Pan before the ship blew apart. The only way he could do that was if he used a little bit of ki. He frowned to himself, if he was going to die, he didn't want to die alone.

* * *

Pan was completing the final checks on the ship.

"Power check, Engines check, life support check…" she rattled off to herself.

The ship's vibrations were increasing and the klaxons were blaring unceasingly. Outside the other shuttled were also being prepped and people were frantically jumping into escape pods everywhere. No one got near their ship though because Buu was zapping people left and right. He, at least, was having a good time.

"Pan! Pan! Came Buu's shout. Trunk's Ki… Trunk's Ki is coming."

Pan stopped for a moment and threw out her senses. The two high level ki's were gone, but she did feel a low level ki that she recognized as Trunks. It was substantially stronger than she expected, around three thousand or so. Pan shook her head and forced any and every suspicion down. _I will have to ask later,_ she thought as she went back to getting the ship ready.

"BUU WE ARE READY TO GO. GET TRUNKS AND LETS GO," she shouted as she fired up the engines. She slowly brought the ship into a standby state and hovered it above ground.

She whirled as she heard a commotion behind her preparing to blast the person to oblivion. Seeing that it was Trunks, she took a deep breath.

"Let's get out of here," huffed Trunks as he dropped to a sitting position in the co-pilot's seat. He was immensely relieved that they had a chance to live.

"Hold on," warned Pan as she brought the throttle forward. The shuttle slowly moved forward and out the bay doors. Explosions continued to rock the massive Dreadnaught as the trio slowly pulled away from the ship.

"Buu… how far are we from the hyper point?" asked Pan.

"Four minutes!" answered Buu.

"Ok… lets hope that the escorts are too distracted with saving people for about four minutes so we can get the hell out of here."

"Yeah I hope so," said Trunks wearily. He was exhausted from the battle and from the stress of a near death experience.

"I think we'll make it," smiled Pan. She looked over at him and then gasped. "Trunks, you're bleeding all over the place."

"Flesh wound… be fine," he said as he began to feel a bit woozy.

"That is not a flesh wound… shit BUU! BUU get Trunks a Senzu now," shouted Pan.

"No more Senzooos Pan…"

That was the last thing Trunks heard before he fell into unconsciousness.

_Next time:_

_Pan and Trunks have escaped the clutches of the foul Admiral Anders… or have they? Goten goes to the Capsule reception and has a grand ole time. Videl learns some things about her brother in law, and so does Bulma and Trunks…Who will be the secret guest from Goten's past? An OC? What will Goten's families' reaction be when they discover he is the Duke De Sirrus? Stay tuned…_

_In a Galaxy Far Away…_

_And a movie theater near you…_


	10. Chapter Ten: Encountering the Past

Author's notes: If there are spacing problems please let me know where they are. I can't seem to find them. Also please let me know if the paragraphs are too long. Thanks for the reviews so far. Please keep leaving them and pointing out the problems where they appear.

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 10: Encountering the Past

_Capsule Corporation…_

On the next day the sun shone brightly down on Capsule Compound. The large bubble like building was awash in activity. Caterers and workers were frantically making last minute fixes in preparation for the arrival of all the dignitaries that would be attending. Bulma, as always, had meticulously planned out everything. She even had a table set aside where Goku could eat all that he wanted by himself, away from the rest of the VIP's. She had thought about not inviting Goku and Chichi because of potential problems but then that would have offended Videl. As a member of the planetary parliament and the daughter of the hero Mr. Satan, Videl was incredibly influential. Bulma was not about to jeopardize her contacts over an invitation.

At exactly six o' clock people started arriving en masse. The Prime Minister of Chikyuu, himself, was the first to greet Bulma at the gates of the compound and enter. Cabinet Ministers, Industrialists, Parliamentary Members, and other influential people followed him into the compound. Everyone was immaculately dressed. The men all wore tuxedos of the finest thread. The women wore the latest, most expensive fashions. It was, after all, a who's who party. However, most of all everyone wanted to impress the Duke de Sirrus. He was, after all, one of the most powerful men in the northern half of the Galaxy. His good favor could break or make a man and his status as a bachelor also made every eligible female in attendance, and some non-eligible ones, fantasize about the possibility of ensnaring him in their charms.

Within a few minutes people were already mingling with each other. Introductions were being made, and connections as well. The food that was placed around was being dabbled in, but, most of all, people were wondering where the Duke was. Only a few people knew what he looked like, and even fewer had ever spoken to him in person.

"Mom!" Trunks' voice came through the crowd. He was tall and extremely well dressed. His shoulders were broad, and his eyes were the color of charcoal. His fine black hair was combed back. "Has Videl arrived? I need to speak to her about some business matters."

"I don't know Trunks. I've been kind of busy," breathed Bulma in an exasperated tone. Her son, just like his father, never helped around with anything. She had seen them having a grand ol' time with the boys while she ran around making sure everything was perfect-the food, the lighting, the atmosphere, and even the conversations.

"Oh… well if you see her tell her I'm looking for her," he smiled completely missing his mother's dilemma. "Talk to you later."

Bulma just watched her son rejoin his polo buddies for more drinks. _Boys will be boys,_ she thought ruefully.

At about 6:40, as the dinner was already getting underway, a black limo pulled up at the gates of Capsule Compound. The driver stopped the car and walked around and opened the door. The first person to get out was Videl. The rest of the Sons followed her. All of them were dressed accordingly, although it was very bizarre to see Goku in a Tuxedo. Both Chichi and Videl were dressed for their parts, as well as Gohan. Goten on the other hand wore something completely different. He was wearing a black cloak around his body that completely concealed what was underneath. The cloak itself was not completely conspicuous, for the most part it looked like an overly large black shirt.

They walked over to the two guards that were checking identification at the gate. Videl passed along their identification cards and waited patiently for them to be cleared. She hated being late but apparently Goten had been caught up doing something or another. The outfit he was wearing was absolutely ridiculous as well. She was caught between mild irritation and amusement. She was sure that he would embarrass her one way or the other. _Oh well… Goku and Goten, what can you do?_ she thought affectionately and couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

"What's so funny?" asked Goten as he walked up.

"I was just thinking about your absurd outfit. What do you have on under that cloak?" she asked.

"Nothing," winked Goten at her playfully.

Videl just laughed. "Oh Goten, you and your father are going to embarrass the hell out of me tonight." She walked up to him and gave him a hug. "But its great to have you back you know. There's nothing like having our family together."

Goten looked around at the other members of his family who were all smiling at him. He had always loved coming home incognito. His family loved him just for him. He wasn't the Duke, a confidant of the Emperor, one of the most powerful or wealthiest men in the empire. He was just Son Goten and that was enough for them. For a man who had to deal with flattering syncopates every day, that love was priceless.

"Minister Satan, your passes are clear, but there are only four of them," said the Guard to Videl nervously. He didn't really want to offend Videl, but his orders came directly from his employer.

"Videl… go on ahead. I have my pass and I have to meet someone," said Goten as he patted down his non-existent pockets.

"You sure Goten? And who?" asked Videl in both concern and curiosity.

"Definitely and I'll introduce him the moment he gets here."

"Ok…" Videl's quizzical look made Goten shiver. She was too smart for her own good. He remembered that, while is brother was a clueless intellectual genius, his sister-in-law's keen mind was nothing to take for granted either. In fact, she was one of the craftiest people he knew.

Goten waited until they were a few meters down and almost out of earshot. He pulled out his card and handed it to the guard. He stood there patiently watching the guard run the card through the machine again and again with amusement.

"Uhhh… Llllordship?"

"Yes?" said, Goten with a bemused look.

"Please go through, Lordship."

Goten nodded. As he stepped through the entranceway he noticed that someone was waiting for him.

"Hideyoshi," he greeted with a nod.

"M'lord… I felt your ki and came out to warn you that it's not pretty in there. Lots of scheming politicians and the like. I'd rather face down one of Cooler's elite purge squads."

Goten laughed. "Thanks Hashiba," he told his right hand man, "I already figured on that. It's a Briefs party after all."

"I thought your family were friends with them," said Vice Admiral Hashiba Hideyoshi, as he walked with the Duke towards the main building where the party was being held.

"My family is. I detest them," said Goten flatly.

Hideyoshi nodded. He could understand why. He hated pretentious families with airs as well, especially those who lorded it over others.

"Who put me on this damn list for the party anyway?" asked Goten as they entered the main hall. He looked around and saw hundreds of people standing and talking. Everyone was dressed to the nines and blabbing about some sort of matter that they thought was important, or would impress the people who they were speaking too.

"You did m'lord. Something along the lines of 'I'll do only one social visit, don't tell me anything about it, just when and where'. I think those were your exact words to Joffrey."

"He knew about the Briefs though… I'll skin him alive when I get back," muttered Goten. "Alive I tell you!"

The Admiral just laughed. The two walked into the main reception hall together. Goten was about to make another comment, when he noticed a familiar face approach them.

"Admiral Hideyoshi," greeted Bulma as she walked up to him. Goten specifically noted that she greeted the Admiral first. It caused him a bit of amusement. "How do you do?"

"I am well… Mrs. Briefs. I must say that you look wonderful tonight," lied the Admiral in the most flattering terms possible. Bulma was fifty plus years old and still attempted to flirt with everyone. Not only that, but anyone could tell that she had had cosmetic surgery. If that weren't enough, she had at least a bucket of makeup on.

"Thank you Admiral… It's the dress. I bought it specifically for the Duke. I hope to make a good impression."

Hideyoshi didn't say anything for a minute as his eyes went to Goten waiting for him to say something. The unrecognized Duke just stood patiently in silence with a little amused smile on his face.

"Uhhh… I'm sure he'll be stunned Mrs. Briefs. I'm sure he will," he said, trying to play off the silence as a moment of reflection. "Mrs. Briefs may I introduce you to my D…"

"Bulma," cut in Goten. "It's been a long time."

"Admiral… I've known Goten since he's been a little boy. He's a fine young man and I think it's marvelous that you've taken him under your wing."

Hideyoshi stared at Bulma dumbfounded. "Uhhh… Madame Briefs-"

"Bulma," said Goten as he took her arm, gently but forcibly leading her away from the Admiral. He gave Hideyoshi a pointed look that said, 'Go about your business, and report to me later.' The Admiral took the hint and wandered off.

"Goten… that was very rude. That was an Imperial Admiral for Dende's sake," she chided in a quiet, miffed tone, as they walked arm in arm out of the Admiral's hearing range. "Well… at least you seem to know him pretty well."

"I know the Admiral very well, Bulma."

"At least you are moving in the right direction. Do you think you can introduce Trunks to him later this evening?"

"Sure Bulma… I'll do that for you."

"Thanks Goten… now…"

"Don't worry about me Bulma, I know you have more important people to talk to."

"Well… you are important too Goten. We'll catch up later, ok?" she said in a tone that Goten could tell was insincere.

"Oh, no problem, Bulma. Go make your rounds." Goten snagged a class of wine from a passing waiter and took a sip. He couldn't help chuckle behind Bulma's back as she walked away to talk to other guests. Of course he was important because of his relation to Videl. He had hoped that she might have changed slightly in five years, but it didn't seem so. Shrugging, he walked in and out of a few other circles of people, exchanging pleasantries but not introductions. Just a hello here and a remark there.

Soon Goten was assaulted by the rich aromas of the large quantities of food around him and for him to resist eating was like Master Roshi getting laid. Impossible.

Spotting his father at a huge table at the very edge of the room, he moved to join him. Bulma obviously had put that table there so his father would be out of the way and wouldn't embarrass her. He walked over and sat next to his father and started to eat as well. While doing so he took the time to assess the situation. He only knew the Prime minister, Videl and the Briefs by sight. He watched the various people mingle and talk about the latest fashions, and politics. They didn't realize they were months or even years behind the current trends. He found that really amusing.

"Goten!" came a voice that caused him to cringe.

"Goten… It's great to see you, old friend," said Trunks as he came up. He stopped and looked disparagingly at Goten's outfit, a frown forming on his handsome face. "What are you wearing Goten? That's really not appropriate for a party like this. If you want I have a few tuxes that will fit you, I'm sure."

"No thanks, Trunks," replied Goten as politely as he could, "How have you been?"

"Well… I'm about to get married, you know. I must introduce you to her… after all you've known her for a long time."

"I heard… And just who is the lucky lady?" asked Goten curiously.

Trunks looked around him for a moment, and then his face twisted in anger. "That ungrateful bitch," he seethed, "She knows how important this party is and I specifically told her not to be beyond my line of sight just in case I needed to introduce her to people. How she infuriates me sometimes!"

"Trunks, relax," said Goten. He wasn't sure why anyone would want to marry Trunks except for the money and, in that case, the woman got exactly what she deserved. "I'm sure she just went to the bathroom or something."

Trunks just looked at Goten as if he had no idea what he was talking about. "You'll learn one day Goten, that image is very important. Understand that a man's woman is part of his image. Look at your brother and Videl. Then again politics is not really for the Sons, is it?"

Goten just put on the Son grin. "Heh, that's why we have Videl," he remarked wryly. It was as if he were 10 years old again. It never failed to amuse him that because he had been so naïve as a child that people would automatically assume that he was still clueless in the ways of the world.

"Let me introduce you to some people, Goten. Try not to embarrass me, ok?" Trunks put extra emphasis on the word try and embarrass.

"Sure. I could use a few introductions," he replied, as he followed Trunks through the crowd expecting Trunks to lead him to the biggest, most unimportant flops in the place. He chuckled to himself when Trunks led him to a group of twenty-year olds and teenagers who gathered together because no one else wanted to talk to them. Most of them were invited as a token gesture or were dragged along by parents or husbands of minor dignitaries.

"Gentlemen, Ladies…" Trunks dwelt on the word ladies, and basked from the admiration he saw in the young ladies' eyes and jealousy in the men's. After all, he was an elite member of Chikyuu society and these were just kids of nobodies. Of course they should swoon in his presence. "This is my friend Goten, I leave him in your care."

Goten chuckled inwardly again as he watched Trunks scurry away from the kids as quickly as he could, obviously not wanting to be seen associating with such low figures. He sat down and allowed his other persona to come forth. He looked at the people around him and they all seemed to be bored. No one was talking, and there seemed to be resentment that they were even here. When he sat down with them, he saw several people glancing his way. Finally a young man asked him, "You're friends with Trunks Briefs?"

"We were friends when we were kids. Our families are acquainted," he said.

The young man laughed. "So he pawned you off here. Social responsibilities done and that's that? Huh? What a prick." The youngster shook his head and fell silent again.

"What is your name," asked Goten to the young twenty something man. He was young, but well built. Goten could tell that he had been through some military training and that's why he chose to start off with him. His voice expected answer and the boy who was just expecting another flop was taken aback.

"Ummm… Hamilton."

"You serve?" asked Goten .

"Yah?"

"What's your rank in the military, Hamilton?"

Again, the boy was taken aback. This was the first time anyone had shown any interest in him at all. "I'm a Captain of the Chikyuu Defense Force."

"That's a pretty great accomplishment for someone your age," Goten complimented.

"The CDF is just a bunch of lazy kids whose parents put them in through political influence," snickered a pretty girl of about the same age.

"It is for most people, but I worked hard for my rank," Hamilton shot back.

"Explain, your comment," Goten directed the young girl. Again his voice was one to be obeyed. It was a noble's voice and soon the young people around him found themselves in a heated debate about the status of the Chikyuu armed forces. Goten found it quite enlightening to hear several of the young officers bemoan the current state of affairs. It seemed that the young girl that had snickered originally also had served but had left because she couldn't ever advance since her parents weren't rich enough. After about twenty minutes of listening to their arguments and counter-arguments, he was pretty impressed with all of them.

"Have you served in the military?" came the question from another young man.

"Yes, I've served in the Imperial military for quite some time now. Almost fifteen years."

"No way! You don't look to be any older than us."

"I'm a wee bit over thirty," smiled Goten.

"Really? Where are you stationed?" asked the young girl.

"I serve at Sirrus Four."

"With the Duke?"

"Yes. A lot of you seem to be a bit discontent here. Why don't you enlist in the Imperial Services?" said Goten seemingly brushing off that fact, "Many from Chikyuu do."

"You need a noble sponsor from the Imperium to do so and not many have a noble sponsor. It's also why I'm here tonight. If I'm lucky I'll be able to speak to the Duke and maybe I can get a sponsorship. I hear his people are mostly human and it takes real talent to be someone, not just who your parents are," said Hamilton.

"Yeah… but it doesn't look like the Duke is showing," grumbled the girl that had spoken first in a somewhat irritated voice.

"The Duke is already here. Admiral Hideyoshi is here as well and I'll have him come speak to you younglings," smiled Goten, as he rose and bade them farewell leaving behind several bewildered men and women. He quickly found Hideyoshi's ki and moved towards him. Hopefully, his conversation with these potential recruits would make his time here at this party worthwhile.

"Do you think that was the Duke?" whispered the young woman in awe as she watched him walk away.

Hamilton just shook his head as he watched Goten walk over to who he knew to be an Admiral. He saw Goten gesture and the Admiral immediately walk to him. They spoke briefly and then he saw the Admiral walk in their direction. "I… I'm not sure… maybe though," he said somewhere between being mortified at giving his opinions so openly and being awe stricken at the once in a life time opportunity to join Imperial Fleet due to such a chance encounter.

After Goten had sent Hideyoshi to send invitations for all the aspiring officers he went to mingle a bit. It would at least be entertaining for him, but more importantly there were hors d'oeurves to be eaten. Bulma did know how to get the best caterers; sometimes it made these atrocious parties worth going to. He looked over to where his father was and saw that he was still eating. Some of the guests were just staring at him with shock on their faces.

Chuckling, Goten walked into a circle of guests who were laughing at the way Goku was eating. "Quite a sight to behold, wouldn't you say?" he remarked cheerfully.

"Oh indeed," replied a balding man of middle age next to him, "I've never quite seen anything like it. Where does all the food go?" he addressed the question out to the five people standing next to him.

"That is one of the greatest mysteries in the universe," chuckled Goten.

"Excuse me sir… but is that cloak real?" asked a middle aged blonde standing next to the man who Goten had just spoken to.

"I would hope so," replied Goten. She was the first person to notice that there was something symbolic to what he was wearing.

"That's Darken Wool… I've seen it once several years ago when we visited Imperia-sei," exclaimed the woman in awe. "Pardon my rudeness but may I please touch it?"

"Go right ahead," answered Goten in amusement. Darken Wool was perhaps the most expensive material in the universe. It was only found on a distant planet where the gravity was fifty times that of earth. Worse, the wool had to be shaved from gigantic blood sucking llamas that attacked anything that came near them. They were almost impossible to see and were incredibly fast despite the fact that they were llamas. To say the least, acquiring the fabric was a dangerous task. The fabric was virtually impenetrable, but had the touch and feel of cashmere. In the capitol worlds of the Imperium, owning the material was a sign of enormous wealth. Here on Chikyuu, a planet in the boonies, it was doubtful that anyone even owned a single strand of it.

The woman slowly reached out her hand and felt the fabric of Goten's cloak. "It is real… this cloak must be worth half of Capsule Corporation itself. A fortune…"

"A gift from a friend," replied Goten nonchalantly.

"I'm Merideth Littleton, my husband Gregory," she gestured to the man who was still watching Goku eat.

"Count Baldwin of Flanders, and his wife Matilda." She concluded the introductions with the other two people standing with them.

"Lord Sirrus," responded Goten as he extended his hand to shake theirs. He decided he liked these people. It was time to make his debut.

"Well Sirru… excuse me did you just say LORD Sirrus?" responded Baldwin of Flanders.

"Forgive us my lord we didn't… recognize you," gasped an appalled Merideth, "I hope you don't take any offense… we…"

"Think nothing of it Merideth," smiled Goten, "You aren't the only ones who didn't notice. I've been here for an hour or so."

"So, Duke Sirrus. What brings you here to remote Chikyuu?" asked the Count.

"Officially, you will find out soon enough. Unofficially, I'm here to visit my family."

"Oh… nothing quite as important as family, m'lord. As for officially… I'm sure I'll find out soon enough why a large portion of Sixth Fleet is now orbiting the moon," smirked the Count.

"Perceptive Count, you will know in time. Speaking of family." Goten smiled at Videl as she walked up to him with a plate of some sort of wrap.

"Count Baldwin, Countess Flanders," greeted Videl.

"Minister Satan," replied the Count formally.

"Here, try these," said Videl to Goten as she handed the plate to him. She didn't quite notice the look of surprise from the faces of the other guests as she interacted in such a familiar manner with Goten.

"I see you all know my sister in law," he smiled as he took a bite out of the little wrap. The secret was about to be spilled but Goten was at least going to have the surprise of watching Videl's face when she found out.

"Excuse me gentleman, but if I could just borrow my brother here," said Videl gently as she pulled Goten away. She did notice the people whisper furiously to each other as they walked away.

"What did you say to them Goten?" she said to him quietly. She wanted to know so she could do damage control. She loved Goten to death, but she still was a politician.

"Nothing Videl… don't worry about it," he grinned the Son grin at her. "Now where is Yamcha?"

"He's around… I've already spoken to him and Trunks."

"It was very nice of him to say hello to an old friend, don't you think?"

"He's very busy, Goten. Please don't be too hard on him." Videl knew Goten was right but she didn't want his feelings hurt. The Briefs had changed over the years and she had to admit that she had muddled feelings about them. She didn't quite trust them as she had gotten to know them better, despite the fact that they were supposed to be great friends with the Sons.

"It would have taken him less than a minute, he could have spared that. Trunks at least stopped by… even introduced me around."

"Trunks introduced you around?" Videl was shocked. That was not something she would expect from Trunks Briefs at all. He was the quintessential ME man. "Who'd he introduce you to?"

"Those young CDF officers."

"Figures, the bastard wouldn't actually introduce you to someone worthwhile," sneered Videl. "You know, no one knows where the Duke is but rumor has it that he's here. I just haven't seen him. What the hell does he look like, Goten?"

"You already know Videl," smirked Goten. He looked over to where the Prime Minister and the other 'head honchos' were. They were all standing in a circle talking with Admiral Hideyoshi discussing something or another. It was time to get it over with.

"Come on Videl, introduce me to the Prime Minister."

"What Goten?" said Videl as her eyes widened in shock from the request. Unfortunately Goten had already begun walking towards the group. She watched as he unpinned his cloak and flung it over one shoulder before repining it again. At his approach she could see the Prime Minister's eyes lock onto Goten. So did everyone else's in the vicinity. A collective gasp filled the room. _Shit Goten. I'm going to kick your ass. The things I put up for you._

Videl walked into the circle quickly ahead of Goten. She noticed that everyone was still looking at Goten and winced. She didn't really want to know what he was wearing under that cloak. He had always been such a jokester.

"Prime Minister Whittlesby, Ministers. May I introduce you to you my brother-in-law, Son Goten," she said. Videl turned as her words came forth and she didn't actually finish her sentence because her mouth stopped moving when she saw what Goten was wearing. Goten's black shirt was made out of the same fabric as his cloak but it was a shade lighter. It was a button up shirt, but each button was pure silver. Gold V's extended from the button upwards to the collar. He had several medals pinned to the shirt on his right breast and the entire outfit glittered in the light. It was the uniform of an Imperial Duke. She was completely flabbergasted and it took her a moment to realize that her mouth was hanging open.

"M'lord Duke," came the chorused greetings from around the circle along with curtseys and bows. Goten was quick enough to realize that Videl was feeling very embarrassed even though no one else had caught on that she had no idea who he was. Not having a death wish, he quickly took her arm in his own and politely greeted everyone.

"Thank you for the introduction, Videl," he said smoothly, "Gentlemen, Videl has told me quite a bit about you all. I'd like to propose a toast. To Chikyuu!"

"To Chikyuu," chorused everyone else.

"Yer going to get it Goten…" he heard Videl threaten as the toast was given.

"You were expecting to be embarrassed so I figured I'd have to do it or you'd be disappointed," he said slyly, putting on a little of that Goten charm. In fact, he was a little jealous of his brother at the moment. He knew that Videl thought that he was about to pull some stunt, but he had seen her, without hesitation, introduce him and claim him as family outright. She hadn't cared that, had he really done something stupid, it could have potentially even caused her to lose her new cabinet position. This was an incredible woman, a worthy one. She was someone he could trust implicitly. _Gohan doesn't even realize what he has,_ he thought ruefully to himself,_ but at least he appreciates it_.

Videl shook her head and let out a little chuckle at Goten's words. How could anyone stay mad at the innocent faced Goten? "We are going to talk later… You and I… got it?"

Goten nodded, held his breath, and then dove into the realm of politics. For the next thirty minutes he sat there, in essence, holding court as all the people in the party began to line up to have simply have the pleasure of shaking his hand.

"M'lord…" came a hesitant voice, which Goten knew to be his brother's. He finished his conversation with some parliament member and then turned to face his family. There stood his brother with anger and hurt in his eyes while his mother looked confused but hurt as well. His father was cheerful as always, for him Goten being a great fighter was much more important than some ridiculous title anyway. As his family began to make the formal greetings, he stepped up and stopped them. "Parents never need to genuflect to their children," he explained as he caught their arms. "Nor should an elder brother."

His brother just looked at him with little change in his expression until Videl whispered something in his ear. "We'll talk about this later Lord… Brother."

Goten's face was made out of marble. He showed no emotion, but simply nodded. It was an enormous piece of self-control because he really was very anxious on the inside. He didn't want to widen the rift between him and his brother more. Gohan took Videl's arm and led her away.

"Son, We're proud of you and most of all welcome home," said his mother.

Goten nodded and took his mother's hand and touched it to his forehead. "It's good to be home," he replied.

The line of people continued to flow and he continued to play the role of the guest of honor. "Goten!" he heard a cry.

"What's this I hear about you bbeeing a Dook. What kind of joke is this?" asked Yamcha Briefs loudly as he walked up, albeit a bit wobbly, to stand in front of Goten.

There was a collective silence. Every conversation in earshot simply died and from there it was like the domino affect. A pin drop could have been heard in the room.

Goten's face was, again, impassive. Not a hint of emotion showed. Had he not been on Chikyuu, he would have turned Yamcha to ash for his impudence on the spot. He couldn't exactly do that here since his father was watching. It would have upset the elder Son greatly to see his son murder someone

Luckily, for Yamcha, Goten held his temper and decided that he didn't need to do anything besides wait for Bulma, who would surely be coming to salvage the situation any second now.

Sure enough she came slicing through the crowd to head off any misadventures. Seeing Goten for the first time since their brief meeting at the entrance her eyes widened slightly. However, Bulma wasn't Yamcha or even Trunks. She was intelligent and crafty. She instantly knew that the situation was loaded and was smart enough to also realize that she needed to humble herself.

"Milord Duke… Forgive my husband. It seems that drink has overcome his senses," she said as she walked up and grabbed Yamcha's arm. She tugged at him only to have him grudgingly move.

Goten didn't say anything. He merely nodded at Bulma in approval and then he simply began to speak to another guest as if she or Yamcha didn't exist. The incident would tarnish the man's reputation greatly, but for Bulma it would probably pan out as even. She would be the poor victim, saddled by an idiotic husband. No one would have guessed that she had sown her own oats.

* * *

_Another part of the party…_

She moved from guest to guest and spoke to each of them like the proper young fiancé that she was suppose to. Trunks had already given her the third degree about not seeing his 'signal' for her to join him. What he didn't realize was that she had purposely avoided his signal. She didn't want HIM to know that she was here. She had her ki suppressed completely and she knew he wouldn't be able to sense her.

While everyone else had been shocked at Goten's exalted rank she had not been. After all, she had gone with him into space when he first left Chikyuu. She had done it against her parents' will and stowed away on his ship. They had spent almost a decade together in space. They had shared everything together, the thrill of battle, the grievous loss of friends, the chilling maniacal maneuvers of politics and even each other's beds. In fact, even as he had been the Emperor's right hand during the wars, she had been his left. In the end, however, when the Imperium had been established she had returned to Chikyuu. She had enough of bloodshed, enough of the power struggles. Oh yes, a part of her still craved it. Still craved the excitement that playing the 'game' gave her. A part of her of her lusted after the power she could have wielded. Yet, those were over shadowed with memories that still haunted her, and would haunt her forever. The purge of Yadrat, the genocide of the Ice-jins, the massacre of Orion's Belt, all of these things she had participated in, even arranged. She was tired of children looking up at her with terror in their eyes; tired of the silence that fell whenever she walked into a room. When she had returned home, she could barely live with herself.

It had taken years for her to finally come out of her shell. Trunks had then swept her off her feet; so to speak. He had been charming in a naïve sort of way. He was handsome, and he could provide for her. Her parents approved of the match, despite the Briefs' condescending manners. The social parties of the Briefs were nothing like those of the Imperium. The latter was a hundred times more Byzantine, and she knew she could easily handle the Briefs relatively amusing style of political maneuvering. They also satisfied her own cravings, even if her opponents were third rate.

One thing she was sure of, though, was that she would never love Trunks. He would be a good enough husband and father, but he had been spoiled by his mother and was too much like his father. He was witty enough though, but most importantly, he didn't remind her of Goten in anyway. In a month, she would be wed and settled down. Her past forever closed to her.

Now all she had to do was avoid the one man that could screw things up for her. She had to avoid Son Goten, Duke de Sirrus.

* * *

Goten was speaking with several other guests when Trunks came up to him again.

"Uhhh… Milord Goten," said Trunks a bit nervously. He had always treated Goten as an inferior; as someone that should obey him; someone who should have been honored to be friends with Trunks Briefs, heir of the Capsule Empire. However, now the tables were reversed. Trunks was nothing but an insect compared to Goten. He wasn't sure how to cope with it. Had it not been for his Mother's stern warning he would probably have continued to treat Goten as he had always done, despite the fact that he was a Duke.

"Yes, Trunks?" responded Goten. He really despised Trunks. He couldn't understand how anyone could even stomach the fawning syncopate, even his own mother. Trunks was a player, a liar, and a coward.

"I'd like you to meet my fiancé," he said as he turned around to introduce her. The problem was that she wasn't there.

Trunks flushed in embarrassment but quickly recovered himself. "Would your lordship be willing to permit me to introduce her? She is, after all, a commoner."

"That means nothing to me Trunks. Fetch her and introduce me." Goten waved his hand nonchalantly in dismissal.

Trunks was furious. She had embarrassed him again and in front of Goten no less. If Goten was REALLY the Duke de Sirrus, which seemed to be what the common consensus was, then Trunks' little mishap would be known by all of high society. They would all snicker behind his back, and no one snickered behind Trunks Yamcha Briefs back. He also needed to know how Goten really felt about him and his fiancé was an expert in digging out information from people. He didn't know how she did it, but she always did and the information always benefited him. Yet, she dared defy him for a second time even after he had so politely explained to her his position. He was going to beat her until she was black and blue.

Seeing his mother, he stalked over to her. "Have. You. Seen. My. Wife. To. Be?" He pronounced each word with explicit care and with each syllable he came closer to losing his temper.

"Trunks what's wrong?" asked Bulma. "Don't you dare lose your temper. Your father already embarrassed me enough today. If YOU embarrass me, YOU will regret it."

"Tell me where she is…" he said through gritted teeth.

"I think YOUR fiancé went out the back to take a breath of fresh air. Now go and calm yourself."

Trunks just nodded and stalked off in search of his fiancé. He didn't notice Goten shadowing him.

Trunks' fiancé intrigued Goten. He wanted to know why the woman didn't want to meet him. So when Trunks had stalked off, he had politely disengaged himself. He then followed Trunk easily without him knowing.

Trunks walked outside and spotted his fiancé. She stood alone looking up at the stairs pondering something. Her blonde hair held up in place by a silver pin, exposing her white swanlike neck. She wore a dress that he had bought for her the previous day. It was a blue evening gown designed specifically for her by the most prestigious fashion designer on the planet. Seeing her just sitting out there gazing at the stars and doing nothing infuriated him even more.

"BITCH!" screamed Trunks as he ran towards her.

"Trunks… what?"

She didn't get a chance to finish as his fist connected to her face. Her head rocked back, but she didn't lose her feet. It took all her control not to lose her own temper. Not knowing what had set him off, she tried to reason with him.

"Trunks… honey what are you-"

"I damn well told you to stay nearby. I told you to do this twice, bitch! You purposely disobeyed me." He backhanded her and this time she did hit the ground.

"I'm sorry Trunks… I didn't mean to…" she whimpered. In response, he kicked her again, and again, and again.

"Listen to me bitch, if you ever disobey me again. You will regret it. NEVER embarrass me again. GOT THAT?"

She nodded. Her dress was ripped in several places and there was dirt in her hair. A little blood trickled from her lip.

"Good," breathed Trunks. He felt much better. "You know… why do you make me do this to you? Is it that hard to do what I ask?"

She just shook her head, but didn't lift it to meet his eyes. A sniffle could be heard.

"Well then… clean yourself up and go meet the Duke." He saw her stiffen visibly. "You will do what I say." Not waiting for an answer he turned and walked back into the party.

She, on the other hand, stood up and began adjusting her dress. She examined it and noticed that the back had been ripped. Her entire back was exposed to the night air. Sighing, she ran her hand through her blonde her frowning.

Suddenly, she felt a hand touch her. It was a gentle touch and sent shivers up and down her spine as it traced a small pattern. Shock and fear filled her when she realized exactly what was traced. "Trrrunks?" she said already knowing the answer.

"Has he ever touched you like this?" said a voice she recognized instantly.

"Goten," she whispered. She turned around and looked at him for the first time in eight years. She could feel the emotions flooding back, the memories of the camaraderie, the passion, and the love.

"That was quite a performance just now. It almost caused me to blast Trunks into the next dimension until I realized it was an act. I must say that biting your own lip to cause it to bleed was brilliant… Why would you possibly allow that weakling to do that to you?"

"I…" she didn't get a chance to speak as Goten brought his lips to hers. She tried to push him away but he just latched on tighter until she finally melted against him. She let her emotions take control and she kissed back as passionately as she ever did. His tongue darted in and circled hers softly driving her mad with desire. After what seemed like an eternity he finally broke the kiss.

"Goten… please… I'm about to get married," she said. Her breath was heavy and she knew she couldn't resist him.

"We need to speak," he said as he took her hand and lifted off into the air. She followed suit and within seconds they were off. They flew silently for about five minutes until they landed in a meadow some fifty miles away. It was one that they had once played in when they were children. A spot forever etched in both of their memories.

"Tell me," he said to her slowly. His voice was thick with emotion. "Tell me why?"

She closed her eyes. "Goten… I can't go back out there, and you will never settle here. There is no hope for us."

"What? What do you mean? What do you mean that you can't go back out there?"

"Goten… Please… just leave me be…"

"I can't do that Marron. I want to know why… why you left and why you are about to marry tha..that… thing," sputtered Goten. His temper was rising. He had loved her; loved her still. Yet, to think of her in the arms of Trunks Yamcha Briefs was intolerable for him.

"I can't go back out there Goten… Every face I see, every time I dock on a ship I see their faces… I hear the screams of the people of Ragaat, of the Ice-jins. I see the faces of their children and the children of so many others. I can't face them."

"I see…" said Goten, "You aren't the only one, I, too, face the same kind of memories…"

"YOU DO NOT GOTEN," she shouted as she whirled on him. "Have you ever done a PURGE?"

"No…" he admitted.

"Then you know nothing about what I see… what I dream," she hissed. "You battle against our enemies, those who would kill us if we did not kill them. You have put down rebellions, but our master never once sent you on a purge… I was there at Ragaat. I killed billions… billions with my own hands. And for nothing… NOTHING you hear me?"

"Mar…"

Marron took a deep breath and steadied her breathing. She calmed herself down to the point where she could speak coherently. There were still tears in her eyes. "No Goten… do not try to console me… I know what I have done. I know what, and who I am. I am a killer on the scale of Freiza, and worse… I liked it. I love the feel of power, Goten. So you understand… that is why I left Goten… that is why I came back home. I am an evil threat to the universe."

"Marron… you are wrong. You did what you had to do and you did your job. I like my job as well… and killing is part of it. It is a necessary part. Because I like my job doesn't mean I like killing. I would not give my position up to anyone else, simply because there are few who would could do what I do and not become Freiza. I am not Freiza, and nor are you. The fact that you gave it up should be evidence enough."

Marron simply shrugged. "The Imperium needs you, it doesn't need me anymore. You found a suitable replacement for me."

"It's not just the Imperium that needs you Marron. I need you."

"You don't Goten. You have done fine for yourself… you are the second most powerful man in the Empire. You don't need me."

"I do… and not just for myself but the Imperium as well. You avoided me tonight as much as you could, but I would have hunted you down. I need your help Marron."

"Why would you possibly need my help? Our Master can provide you with everything."

"There has been a coup. General Bojack has overthrown the Emperor. He styles himself Emperor Bojack. "

Marron looked hard at Goten. He knew that she was assessing his own possible complicity in this and that she would check all the facts. Lying to her was a very bad idea.

"Our master is not dead, I would have felt his passing. What can defeat a Super Saiya-jin, Goten? Except another Super Saiya-jin."

"I do not know. Something… Buu could."

"Buu going against Vegeta is ridiculous to contemplate. Where is our master now?"

"I don't know but I'm sure our Master will come here. It's the only place that is truly safe for him."

"And why aren't you advancing on Imperial Capitol?"

"We were ambushed at Sirrus 4. The ships that are in orbit right now are all that remain of Sixth, and Third fleet. Well… Emma will be here in 10 days, so that will be about 20 more or so. So, as you can see, I do need your help."

"I…I can't help you Goten… I can't do it anymore," she said softy. "I'm not who I once was. I'm sorry."

"You must find yourself then. Do you wish to live here with Trunks bearing his children? Be nothing more than a housewife, and a backwater socialite at most? Or will you leave your shell and return to your rightful place as a leading lady of the Empire. In one, you will do nothing but let the lives of billions perish. In the other, you will have to take lives, but you will save them as well. And…" Goten's voice had begun strong, but as he came to the close of his speech it began to fill with anguish. "And…"

"You don't need to say it, Goten… I know."

"And you choose to throw it away?" He took a step forward and wrapped his arms around her. He slowly pulled her towards him. She could feel her blood quicken, but firmly shoved her primal instincts away.

"Stop, Goten," her voice cracked out like a whip. There was no quiver in her voice. It was one of command, almost an exact replica of the one that Goten used. It stopped Goten in his tracks, and he stepped back.

"Goten, I am Trunks' fiancé. To have an affair would be shameful," she said as she took a few steps away from him and then turned to face him. Her eyes held his locked. "I… I need time to think about what you've told me… Leave me alone until then."

"Marron…"

She didn't answer him. Her ki aura exploded around her and she flew off. Goten took a deep breath. That, of all things, was quite unexpected. Marron, being Trunks' fiancé, was the last thing he ever expected. He would not let her go through with it without, at least, making sure that she was sure of her decision. He was sure her mind was not made up, and that she wanted to marry Trunks only to escape her past. As he was part of her past, he was not about to let that happen.

**Big Thanks Goes out to _Tanyaneko,_** who helped me Beta most of this Chapter.

_Next time on A -Brief- Moment in Time:_

_Vegeta and Bulma make a quick stop on Mersis and have a heart to heart. They depart and then arrive on Chikyuu. Who do they meet? What will Bulma have to say about Vegeta? What will Mirai Bulma have to say about Bulma? What about Yamcha?_


	11. Chapter Eleven: Abundant Surprises

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Author: Cka3ka

Chapter 11: Abundant Surprises

**BZZZZZZZZz…**

"Woman!" Vegeta was scared. He sat in nothing but his skivvies watching Bulma with a wary eye. "Get that thing away from me!" He should never have agreed to this. He didn't know what the hell he had been thinking. The way that Bulma was holding that infernal device in her hands made his eyes widen. He hadn't been afraid of anything in decades but now he found himself quaking in his boots.

**BZzzzZzzzz…**

"Vegeta…" crooned Bulma, as she slowly walked to him. "You shouldn't make promises that you can't keep. They come back to bite you."

"Woman… I… I think we can talk this over…"

"No, Vegeta… this is the only way. Now sit down in that chair and sit still," ordered Bulma, "OR ELSE!"

At the sound of the steel in her voice, Vegeta slowly sat down in the chair in the middle of the kitchen. He never took his eyes off of that device though. "Woman… Are you sure you know what you are doing?"

"Yes… I've cut Trunks' hair ever since he was a little boy."

Vegeta trembled slightly as he felt the clippers touch the side of his head. He had never once gotten a haircut in his life. Saiyan hair grew in a certain length and style depending on the bloodline of the Saiyan. In a way it was a mark of their rank.

Bulma worked swiftly with the clippers. She knew that he thought she was going to simply trim his hair to make him look different. The two of them agreed that the best way to disguise Vegeta was to give him a haircut, as his hair was unique in the Imperium. It would have served as a beacon for anyone that was looking for him.

"Woman… how much are you taking off?" asked Vegeta nervously.

"All of it."

"WHAT?" Vegeta jerked his head and the clippers, as clippers do, went in a direction that Bulma did not intend them to. They cut a huge swath of hair off on the Saiya-jin no Ouji's head.

"Well… Even if I had been joking, you just made it so that I would have to shave your head."

"Woman… This is outrageous."

"Sit still, Vegeta…" Surprisingly Vegeta sat still. He was mumbling something to himself but she couldn't quite hear what he was saying.

Within minutes Bulma was finished. She stood back and looked at Vegeta's now completely shaved head. "I wish I knew how Krillan always kept his so shiny."

"Woman… if you think I'm going to wax my head…"

Bulma just cracked up. _Oh my Kami, this is too funny. Vegeta with a shaved head…_

Vegeta's face turned seven shades of red. The veins on his head began to slowly protrude outwards and Bulma recognized the signs of an impending explosion.

"Vegeta, don't worry. It's just a haircut. I'm sure all your Imperial Consorts will still find you devastating handsome." Her words were said in a relatively teasing voice. However, they didn't hide her desire. Vegeta was a very handsome man, and was built like a solid rock. His sculpted muscles rippled with every move. Bulma couldn't help but recall the nights of passion that they once had enjoyed together.

A part of her wanted him to remember the love that they probably had shared in this dimension as well. Yet, looking at him, she knew that it wasn't realistic. He was an emperor, and could have any woman that he wanted. What would he want with an old washed up single mother like her? It was not as if she were unappealing. She knew that she was still moderately attractive. The years of toil had taken their toll, but they had kept her trim and fit. Having to carry parts and food for tens of miles had made sure of that. However, no matter what she looked like, she knew she couldn't compete with the young delicate noblewoman who surely sought his attention.

_You don't want to go through this again, Bulma, _she thought sharply to herself. She put the razor down and began to slowly clean up the mess that had been caused by the haircut.

Vegeta watched as Bulma bent down and began to clean. He had seen the look she had given him. It was one that hundreds of females from all over the galaxy had used on him at one time or another. None of those females had ever attracted him. Part of the reason was because he couldn't breed with them and that instinctively destroyed any sexual attraction.

However another reason ran far deeper. The counterpart of the woman in front of him had wounded him deeply and he had never allowed himself to even feel the need for release. With his iron discipline, he had kept himself celibate for far too long. His eyes slowly roamed over her body. She was different from the Bulma he remembered. Older, wiser, and much more somber, she appealed to him more than ever. She would make him an excellent empress, he was sure of that. However, the wary part of him would not allow him to act. He would not allow himself to be hurt again in that manner. It had taken quite a long time, years in fact, to regain a semblance of his own greatness after the woman had stripped him of everything. He slowly turned and walked out to go take a shower to clean up and, also, to cool himself down.

* * *

_Hours later…_

"Vegeta!" came the call down the hallway from the control room.

"What woman?"

"We're coming out of hyperspace… You're going to have to come with me. I need you to come along to help me carry supplies."

Vegeta grumbled to himself. He was the damn Emperor. Who was he to be carrying supplies for a lowly woman? Sighing, he knew that he was being unfair. His pride had long been cured by years of battle and putting together of an Empire. Kakkarot's brat and that demonic daughter of an android had always been ragging on him about that. This thought drove his mood down even farther. The fact that Kakkarot's brat may have betrayed him caused him greater hurt than he had imagined. The boy had been his pride and joy. He had taken the simple child and made him into a great warrior. A warrior that all the Saiyan kings of old would have been proud to call their son. In fact, he had intended to make the boy his heir. The boy had earned it a hundred times over, and was nothing like his pathetic clown of a father or weakling of a brother. Slowly he donned his garb and walked towards the control room. He could hear the woman talking to the port authorities to arrange landing rights. It surprised him that he wasn't nervous, that he was confident in the woman's abilities.

The radio burst into static before becoming clear. "Permission granted. Land on pad four 0 five. Be prepared for inspection."

"Roger Mersis Control, Ikegami out."

"Ikegami?" Vegeta asked, somewhat amused.

"I had to think of another name besides Bulma Briefs, as there is another Bulma Briefs who is pretty well known by any Chikyuu-jin, right?"

Vegeta just nodded and walked past her to look at the various blinking lights on the control pad. "We need fuel and some food."

"Ya think?" smirked Bulma.

"Hmmph. Do not get uppity with me woman. I do not handle that well." The woman just laughed at his comment, walked over, and gave him a hug. He stiffened and could hear a sad sigh emanate from her when she felt that. Closing his eyes he allowed himself just a moment… just a moment of respite as he put his arms around her and hugged back.

"Thank you Vegeta," she said simply as she pushed away. "I… It's really been hard for me."

"Hmmph."

The two of them sat in silence as they watched the planet grow larger and larger on the view screen. When the continents, rivers, and then cities, came into view, Bulma stood up and walked over to a bag she had kept in the control room. "Here toss this around your neck so that they can't see the collar."

"A scarf? You think that will work?" Vegeta was now dressed in a few of Buu's cloaks that had been altered so that it would look as if he were a monk.

"Yes… these are port authorities, they don't want to have to deal with extra work when they don't have to. It'll work fine. Just grunt and bow like a monk whenever they ask you something. DO NOT yell at them."

"Hmmph. You ask much woman."

"I only ask so that we will get out of this alive." Vegeta turned and looked at her for a second. She had used the word 'we'. She did not have to help him at all, and he knew that. Yet, she was putting her life on the line. The Bulma he remembered may have done that, but not for him. He wondered how close this Bulma and him really were in their timeline. It was a question he didn't know if he wanted answered. Just as they felt the ship land, he wrapped the scarf around his neck.

She nodded at him to let him know that the collar was unnoticeable and then preceded to finish the docking procedures. Bulma was quite proud of herself, as she had learned everything about the ship in a few days. It wasn't that hard, all she had to do was think about 'what she would have done if she were building a space ship' and follow the thought through. It worked like a charm.

The two of them walked up to the hatch of the ship and opened it. Outside stood four men who were all armed, but looked quite bored. They looked at her and then at Vegeta. "Who's your companion ma'am?" asked one of the authorities.

"His name is Krillan, and he's a monk from the monastery at Canterbury on Chikyuu." Bulma didn't even glance at Vegeta. She knew he would not let the shock that he was certainly feeling slip up his demeanor. Despite the gravity of their situation, she couldn't help but needle him a little bit.

The guards looked him over and then consulted something on some form of handheld database. The lead customs agent then shrugged. "Ok… here are your passes. You'll need to renew them if you stay longer than two days."

Bulma nodded, "Thanks fellas." She walked out of the ship with Vegeta in tow and walked into the city.

"Woman… how are we going to pay for all this stuff?" snarled Vegeta as he carried a load of packages. He was following Bulma down the aisle way of a local shopping center. The two of them were in the Mersis Shopping District, which just happened to be on Bulma's list of places to go. Vegeta was sure this was some plot to torture him. At least he had some normal clothes now. A pair of jeans fit snuggly around his waist and legs and his body was graced with a freshly purchased red shirt.

Bulma didn't force Vegeta to carry all the bags out of a perverse form of pleasure Vegeta, though the torturing Vegeta part did make it an extra bonus. She purposely had Vegeta carry a ton of bags simply because no one would possibly expect the Emperor to be carrying bags around like some menial servant. For Bulma, though, Vegeta's comment was absolutely shocking. He did not whine about it being beneath his dignity, rather it was a more practical question.

"Well… I am Bulma Briefs, and I do have Capsule Corporations account codes. Those things don't change you know?" she smiled wickedly as she looked over some loafers. She decided that Vegeta would look good with a pair, and proceeded to purchase it for him. "I don't think the other-me would mine too much."

"You'd be surprised woman… I've always thought you were a stingy bitch."

"VEGETA!" exclaimed Bulma, shocked at his remark. "ME STINGY? How could you ever think that?"

"I jest woman. Your associating me with that pathetic monk irked me."

Bulma stood there for a moment looking at him with blinking eyes. "You… make a joke?"

"Does that surprise you?"

"You have no idea how much that surprises me coming from your uptight ass."

"You speak of my ass too often. Don't give me the wrong ideas," retorted Vegeta with a light in his eyes. Bulma didn't miss it, but she wasn't about to back down either.

"What ideas would I be giving you, Vegeta?" she asked as they left that particular store and continued their hunt.

"Shouldn't we be searching for a place to get food?" he said changing the subject.

"Hah… You men are always thinking with your stomach," laughed Bulma, "Ok… there's a grocery store. We'll have them deliver to the ship."

"I hunger."

"Well, You'll have to stay hungry until we get back into space and have some privacy ok?"

Vegeta nodded. He wasn't thrilled about it, but he understood her reasoning. He would just draw attention to himself by eating as much as he usually did. "Make sure you buy extra food."

"Okok… Just pick out what you want. Come on." She led him into a grocery store, and a part of her started screaming about the dangers of letting a hungry Saiyan into any place with large amounts of food. However, it didn't really surprise her when Vegeta didn't lose control of himself at all. What did surprise her was his adeptness at food shopping.

She watched in amazement as Vegeta walked up and down the aisles selecting various foods. He sniffed at the various fruits to make sure that they were fresh. He checked the nutritional value of the various canned foods, and the expiration date on meat, eggs, and milk. Bulma had never seen Vegeta shop before, but she was shocked at how expertly he did it.

After about thirty minutes he had about 2,000 credits of food picked out and ordered. The two of them had been told that the delivery would take about two hours. Bulma had Vegeta leave their other packages with the store as well so that everything could be picked up at the same time.

"Two hours woman…"

Bulma frowned for a minute. There wasn't much they could do in two hours. She also didn't want to walk around too much. Someone might still recognize Vegeta. As they were walking back to the ship she noticed a movie theater very close by. "Let's catch a movie 'Krillan'. That will be safe since the place will be dark."

"I find that name offensive woman. Do not use it," he growled.

She just laughed at him, grabbed his arm, and dragged him into the theater.

* * *

_On another ship headed for Chikyuu…_

Trunks woke groggily. His vision swam before him and he swore he saw an angel. The face was beautiful. The skin was the color of porcelain, and framed perfectly with black hair. The eyes were a deep creamy mocha, with such depth that Trunks thought he could drown in them. He reached out and slowly touched the face. The feel was soft, smooth, and gooey!

"Trunks, u wake! u wake. Pan be so happy."

Trunks' vision suddenly cleared up and he found that his hand was caressing the face of Majin Buu. With a cry, he jerked his hand back. _What the hell am I doing?_ he screamed at himself.

Buu straightened questioningly at his actions. "What wrong Trunks?"

"Uhhh. Nothing Buu… What the hell? I'm totally healed." He examined himself where the wounds should have been. There were not even scars.

"Buu have special magic healing power. It magic," explained Buu happily. He loved helping people. It made him feel all warm and bubbly inside.

"Well thanks, Buu," said Trunks sincerely. "Where's Pan, and how long have I been out?"

"You sleep four hours… Pan in control room. She fly… zoom zoom," he said while kind of pretending he was an airplane.

"Ok… can you take me up there?" he asked.

Buu nodded and helped Trunks out of bed. Though he was healed, he still felt a bit stiff. The two of them walked leisurely up to the cockpit. Trunks couldn't help but smile at the way Buu was always happy. Nothing seemed to upset the pink guy, and that happiness was infectious. So it was that when he met Pan, he was already in a good mood.

"Trunks!" she exclaimed. She shot up out of her seat and ran up to him. She pulled up short when she realized how relieved she felt seeing him all right. She bit her lip nervously and then smiled. It was a breathtaking smile. "I'm glad to see you are alright."

"I'm glad to see I'm alright as well," he smirked. "You glad to see me?"

"Jury is still deciding," she smiled.

"Uh huh… so where are we headed?" he asked.

"Chikyuu."

"Oh… going home I see."

"Yeah… I'm hoping my uncle will be there. I have to get into touch with him."

Trunks nodded. Then he asked a far more important question, "What do we have to eat around here?"

"Not much. We didn't have time to pack any food. Luckily Buu can change other things into food. Just try to convince him to change it to something healthier than jelly beans or chocolate."

"Alright, I'm going to grab something to eat then."

Pan nodded. "Ok I'll be down in a bit. I have to check a few more things out."

"See you later," said Trunks as he clapped Buu on the back and hauled him off to provide some sustenance.

* * *

_From Mersis to Chikyuu…_

It had taken them almost a day to pack away all the groceries. Bulma had done almost all of it herself. Her Vegeta never had done any chores whatsoever so it didn't surprise her that Emperor Vegeta didn't help her. In fact, him being an Emperor made him less likely to help out in menial chores.

She sighed as she cut a few pieces of chicken and tossed them into a skillet. She hated cooking simply because she was awful at it. While Trunks was growing up she had always had various automatons cook for her. She just had to input the recipe and provide the ingredients. Two hours later there would be a mound of food ready for Trunks to eat. Now on this godforsaken ship she had none of those conveniences and she had no idea what she was doing.

"Hmm… let me see. It says one teaspoon mild paprika for six boneless chicken breast halves," she said to herself. She picked up a spoon and poured some salt into it. "Ok… now this is like 30 pieces so that's 5 teaspoons. Here goes nothing." She quickly began to dump the spice into the pot.

"Woman… what are you doing?" came Vegeta's voice as he walked into the kitchen area. He had smelled food beginning to cook and decided it would probably be wise for him to come down and have a look. He knew all about Bulma's cooking talents.

"Cooking dinner," she said without turning around. "hmm… ok … match ½ chopped onion and so that's like… ummm 15 chopped onions."

"Woman, what the hell are you doing?" Vegeta shouted as he saw her take out fifteen onions and begin to chop them up. He walked up to her and rudely pushed her aside from where she was doing her work.

"Vegeta!" Bulma screeched, "I'm trying..."

"I will not be subjected to that poison you call your cooking. I'd rather starve."

"You bastard… then you cook for your self, asshole!" Bulma turned to storm out, but before she could even take a step his hand shot out. His grip was like a vice. He whirled her around and stood her in front of the counter again.

"I will instruct you. You will do exactly as I say," he said in a voice that sent shivers down her spine. It was a voice that expected instant obedience, and if that obedience was not met then there would be consequences, unpleasant ones.

"Vegeta…" Bulma was a little scared of that tone. It was like the tone he had used on her right before he had nearly killed her.

"Now woman… you will remove that chicken and wash the absurd amount of spices that you put on it."

Bulma blinked.

"Do it."

With a shaking hand she reached out and did as he had commanded. As she finished up she turned and nearly fainted in shock. Vegeta was standing there slicing up onions as if it were the most normal thing in the world. He seemed to have sensed her shock, but looked at her quizzically.

"What?"

"I have never seen you cook."

"A warrior knows how to cook his own meals," he said sagely. There was a hint of a smirk on his lips. "Now, woman, what possessed you to add such absurd amounts to the meal?"

"Well the instructions say do this per six, and since you're a goddamn saiyan and eat for 10, I figured I'd have to add accordingly," she explained. To her surprise, Vegeta just shook his head in disbelief.

"You think that after spending time around Kakkarot's mate you'd learn something."

"Umm… in my time Chichi's been dead for a long time."

"Good… I can't stand that screeching harpy." Despite his words, Bulma noticed a slight tightening around his eyes. He cut up three onions and tossed it into the skillet with the thirty pieces of chicken. "You do not simply multiply. Obviously your genius is overrated. Observe."

Bulma stood and continued to stare at Vegeta. _He's going to teach me to cook… is that what he is doing?_

"Quit gawking woman and get to work," he snapped. Bulma couldn't help but bark a laugh.

"Ok… what do I have to do…"

"First you get a pound of mushrooms, and then…" Vegeta continued to instruct her for twenty minutes as they prepared dinner. He then showed her how to heat the dish over the stove in a hot skillet. Bulma was having the time of her life. She couldn't remember the last time she had enjoyed herself so much. Vegeta was a harsh taskmaster, and quick to abuse her when she made mistakes. However, at the same time, whenever she did something right and he grunted in approval, it sent a surge of joy through her.

About an hour later he sat down with her to eat. There was a ton food, Chicken Perkelt, Potato Gnocchi, Pork and Sauerkraut, and Acorn squash. As Bulma tried the food she couldn't believe how good it was. It brought to mind Chichi's cooking.

"Where the hell did you learn to cook like this, Vegeta?" she asked in amazement.

"As I said, a warrior knows how to prepare his own meals."

"I figured that you would have just killed something and eaten it raw," she said as she helped herself to some more food.

"Had I lived alone I would undoubtedly done so. With two brats, however, I was forced to have to prepare meals."

"You mean you didn't force the kids to prepare food for you?" boggled Bulma. That's what she'd expect him to do. Surely the Vegeta of her time always expected her to have food prepared for him.

"Is there a reason you think so lowly of me, woman?" asked Vegeta. His tone was slightly annoyed.

"In certain aspects of life, you are not the most… conscientious of people. I can't imagine you cooking," she answered.

"I was simply curious about the skill and once I tried it, I mastered it as I do to all things I attempt," he stated matter of factly. He continued to eat in the dignified, but quick manner of his. After about ten minutes of scarfing down food, he stopped and looked across the table at where Bulma was relishing each and every bite.

"Gawd… this is amazing…" She stabbed one of the Gnocchi and took a bite. "You've got to try this," she said as she offered her. Their eyes locked as Vegeta took a bite from her fork. She had been hungry when she had begun to eat. Suddenly, she didn't care about that anymore. A different type of hunger, a hunger that had not been satiated for over two decades, replaced her hunger for food. She dropped her fork on the table. It struck with a clang, but the noise went unnoticed by both of them.

Bulma moved round the table until she stood directly in front of Vegeta. Their eyes never left each other's faces. So intense was the feeling, that she thought she could see herself reflected in his dark, abyss-like, pupils. She leaned down and kissed him. Hard. He didn't respond at first, but she could feel his body begin to shake. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself into his lap and moved from side to side seductively inciting a response from him. He grasped her tightly then. He opened his mouth and their tongues met. He slowly traced circles around her tongue and teasingly played with her. They sat kissing for an unknown period of time before he finally broke it.

Vegeta held her eyes in her own, and decided to hell with it, to hell with his celibacy, to hell with rejection, to hell with the past. He growled, and locked onto her mouth with his own. He picked her up and laid her down on the floor and removed his shirt while kissing her. As he removed it, he stopped again.

"Woman…"

"Don't talk…" she said breathlessly.

Vegeta just smirked and began to bring their relationship to a level that they were both, in some way, afraid of. Yet, this fear intoxicated them even more. It was as if this first, perhaps last time, would be the only chance they would ever get to leave their lonely lives behind and enter into a new… perhaps brighter future.

* * *

Thanks again to Tanyaneko for proofing the first part of the story.

For anyone interested, the recipe to Chicken Perkelt… for a reasonable family is:

3 Tablespoons Canola Oil

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves chopped up

½ large onion, chopped

2 cubes chicken bouillon

1 teaspoon mild paprika

salt and pepper for taste (that means just a little bit)

4.5 ounce mushrooms.

3 Tablespoons sour cream.

In a large skillet over heat, heat oil and add chicken and onion. Season with bouillon, paprika and salt and pepper to taste. When chicken is almost cooked through, stir in the mushrooms. Cover the skillet and cook for 5 more minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and the chicken juices run clear.

When chicken is done, stir in the sour cream and turn off the heat. Serve hot over rice or pasta. I prefer white rice, or rigatoni.

Try it… it's really really tasty.

Ciao,

Cka3ka


	12. Chapter Twelve: Pep Talk, Pillow Talk

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 12: Pep talk, Pillow talk

_In the evening after the party…_

The wind began to grow stronger as he watched her leave. The cool wind that had helped relieve the summer swelter that had caressed his and Marron's skin moments before began to whip up into a howling gale. All pretense of calm left him. He had held onto his temper; he hadn't wanted to seem weak in front of her, but now that she was gone. Anger. Anger as he hadn't felt in years coursed through Goten's veins. With a curse, he turned and fired a blast of enraged ki into the sky. The detonation lit up the sky and night turned into day for a few split seconds.

Marron and Trunks… Trunks and Marron. The mere thought of it infuriated him beyond comprehension. She had left him five years ago without a word of explanation. She had only left a note behind saying that she was returning to Chikyuu and that she needed time alone to think things through. He had respected that. He knew that she'd been feeling queasy about her missions during that time; something had happened to rattle Marron badly. He had inquired quietly about her recent missions and then concluded that she just needed some time and space. For a year he had waited, and when no word came from her, he had sent several inquiries to Chikyuu. The only thing he had gotten in response was second hand news from his parents from her parents that she was fine.

He would have gone back, but the Orion conspiracy had gotten out of hand. Other matters also needed his immediate attention and so for five years he had had no word of her. And now this… HER… the woman whom he loved, and who he knew loved him was about to be married to the most pathetic groveling thing in the universe. His pride demanded satisfaction. Goten's saiyan blood began to boil over as he was losing his emotional self control. He didn't even notice that he had erupted into Super Saiyan form and that in his rage, the nearby forests had been eradicated.

"Goten!" came a shout that he heard. "Stop."

Goten whirled at the sound and came face to face with his father. Dangerous hate filled turquoise eyes met clear calm black ones. Struggling with himself, Goten forced his emotions under control and the golden aura that had flickered angrily around him vanished.

"What is going on Goten?" asked Goku calmly. "It's not like you to lose your calm like that."

"No, it's not," agreed Goten. He didn't bother to answer his father's question. It wasn't any of their business; not that they'd understand anyway. His gaze flicked over to the two figures floating behind his father. Videl and Gohan both floated quietly in the air behind him. Videl's gaze held a great amount of concern for him, but his brother's was filled with anger, anger at being lied to.

"Goten…" Videl began as she flew closer to him.

"None of you can understand," he said without explanation. His words were soft and sad. "You have each other, you always will. I don't have that security."

"You have us, Goten. We're your family and we'll always be there for you," assured Goku. "Son, you know that."

"I guess I do," sighed Goten. He looked at his brother and still only saw anger in his eyes. There was a reckoning coming and despite his father's words he wasn't so sure if he would always have his family stand by him. "I guess I do… but only time will tell."

"You do," affirmed Videl. She had always been there for him when he was younger and she still was. Goten was almost sure that she'd understand, almost. "Let's go home and we can figure out what's going on."

Again Goten sighed. Things were coming to a head and he had to prepare. It was best he stay away from his family for the meantime. "No, I have a lot to prepare for. It's best I stay away for a few days."

"Goten?" Videl seemed upset by the declaration. His father's stare was filled with incomprehension, but there was understanding.

"Take all the time you need," was all his father said.

He nodded and then turned and flew away. Funny. His brother hadn't said a word.

* * *

_Chikyuuu Parliamentary Meeting_…

Goten rode back down to Chikyuu in a shuttle. He had spent two days away from home and had buried himself in his work. He didn't want to think about Marron or the coming conflict with his family. Videl would no doubt be irate. Today, he would show them what he was really like as the Duke de Sirrus and they wouldn't like it. He didn't know what he would do if his father and brother opposed him. The decisions would have to be made there on the spot.

"Lord Sirrus. We have arrived," said his aide as he opened the door for Goten.

"Have all our assault troops stand by. If I give the signal they are to execute plan Alpha. Understand?" Goten snapped a scouter over his right eye. It was amazing how much he looked like Turles at the moment. His tail snuggly rapped around his waist, he entered the parliamentary building flanked by four armed guards. Today was a special parliamentary meeting that took place twice a year. Every member was expected to attend and the press was everywhere.

"Goten, what are you planning to do?" asked a voice that brought a pang to his heart. It was still beautiful. _She was still beautiful,_ he thought as he stopped and looked at her. Her golden blonde hair framed her face perfectly. Her crystal blue eyes bored into his own challenging and enticing him. _She is mine_, he thought angrily. There was no way he would let Trunks take her without a fight. He would make her remember what she was; he would make her his again. His pride demanded it; his heart demanded it.

"Step away from the Duke now!" shouted one of his armsmen. Marron ignored the soldier as if he were nothing more than an insect. Goten stopped and gestured for the soldiers that it was all right.

"You wish to know what I plan to do? Why not join me then?" The game had begun.

"Do not plays games with me Duke de Sirrus," hissed Marron using his formal title. He was mocking her, she knew the tone of voice well.

"My dear Marchioness de Toulon… you realize if you marry him you will confer upon him your Imperial title as well? You will share everything that was once yours… still yours with him. I wonder what our Master would think of this," responded Goten as he ignored her comment and countering using her own rank that Vegeta had given her long ago. He smirked as he watch her face twist up in displeasure."Is your fiancé here?"

"No… I'm here because I choose to be."

Goten nodded. "Already keeping secrets from him…" he said in a lofty manner. "Does he know what you truly are?"

"What are you planning to do today?" she asked again ignoring his question.

"So he doesn't. How interesting." She was his, he was sure of it. He had her hooked already. She just didn't realize it yet. "Sit in on this day's events then. They will be momentous." He reached out, grabbed her hand and kissed it. Without another word he turned and continued to walk into the parliament building.

Marron stared daggers at him. His words bothered him, but even worse was the fact that he was being mysterious. She hated mysteries especially from him. It had been one of her roles in the Imperium to ferret those mysteries out. When she began her career at the age of fourteen she had been a shy naïve girl who, on a whimsical crush, had stowed away on Goten's ship. When she came back ten years later, she had been a twenty-four year old veteran of war, and politics. Even in the last five years she had continued to follow the events in the Imperium with a passive interest. Now, she would most likely have to play an active role again. _Damn that Goten,_ she thought.

* * *

_Approaching Chikyuu…_

Bulma's head lay comfortably on Vegeta's broad chest. The last two days had been an intense marathon of passionate reaffirmation of their desire for each other. In other words, they screwed like rabbits. She took a deep breath, and let out a long content sigh. She couldn't believe what she had done. When she had first met Vegeta again, she had felt her emotions begin to spin out of control, but she had fought it for over two weeks. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, she had succumbed. However, she was afraid of what would happen as soon as he got on his feet again. Once the collar came off would he still want her? Would he give a hoot about her once he didn't need her? Slowly, she ran her fingers across his perfect abdomen, relishing in the feel of his skin. She was setting herself up for a fall, she knew. Yet, was life worth living without taking risks? She already knew the answer. _No._ So as she lay there contemplating her future, she came to a decision.

"Vegeta?" she said softly. She knew he was awake by the rhythmic rising and falling of his breath. Bulma had always been able to tell when he was sleeping or just faking it.

"Yes, woman?"

"Tell me… Tell me about you. At least a little bit…" she asked softly.

"What is there to tell, woman?" he replied in a voice that she had heard him use once before. It had been the night that she had thought that she had finally gotten through to him, a night that her Vegeta had told her of the so-called bond. She had been willing then, but he had not. He had told her that he would not bond with her until he had achieved the Super Saiyan level. She closed her eyes for a moment feeling the sweet agony of that old wound. He had betrayed and lied to her. The moment he had attained that status, he had cast her off as if she were an old shoe, this despite the fact that she was carrying his heir.

"I want to know about you… Its necessary anyway, since I'll probably run into some people on Chikyuu. It'll be strange not knowing the events of this universe, don't you think?" she said.

"Hmm… what do you wish to know?"

"How did you become Emperor… how did we… separate? I want no secrets."

"You ask much, woman. Once… perhaps I would have been willing to share with you all."

"And now?"

Vegeta was silent for a moment. "We went our separate ways some thirty-two years ago."

"When after Namek did we get together?" she asked.

"One year. That pathetic thing of a being deserted you. You came crying to me and I thought I'd amuse myself with you."

Bulma chuckled. It was such a typical Vegeta answer. Some things never changed. "Go on," she prompted.

"We were lovers for a year…" He went silent and Bulma could almost feel the anger, the hurt, the shame that he had bottled up. She was sure that added to his other problems that he was just a volcano waiting to explode.

"Then… I left you. If you don't…"

"You left me for that weakling, to my shame…" he said softly. "I do not know why you left me… you simply told me that you were in 'love' with him still."

Bulma felt him shiver, and, in response, she pressed herself against him, trying to assure him of her feelings for him.

"I left after that… I left into space and in my rage at being deserted by the one thing I had ever grown to care about; I achieved the legendary transformation of my race. I guess I have something to be thankful to your counterpart for."

"You would have made the transformation anyway… I know that for a fact."

"Hmmph. Then I would have deserted you and fallen to the Androids?"

"Yes… You, of my time, abandoned me and my son," she said bitterly. She took a deep breath. "You already know about me… continue."

"Do I sense a hint of command in your voice?" he said, almost teasingly.

"Indeed your majesty, indeed you do." Bulma put on a humorous tone and it incited a deep rumbling chuckle from Vegeta. The tension in the air from the old memories seemed to abate slightly.

"I left… and once I achieved my transformation I did not look back. I went and conquered a world for my own and set myself up as its ruler. There I did nothing but train for fifteen years. I was able to surpass the level of an ordinary Super Saiyan, but I seemed to have lost track of time. Then, sixteen years ago a ship came to my world. It was a Capsule Corporation ship, and I blew it into pieces in my rage of seeing it. However, instead of it being YOU or one of your infernal employees it was Kakkarot's and the Android's brats."

"The android's brat? You mean number seventeen or eighteen?"

"I do not know. I know little of the happenings of Chikyuu, save what the two brats have told me. I believe she referred to her mother as Eigtheen. Her father is that pathetic excuse of a monk."

"Krillan? You are telling me Krillan has a kid… oh my god I don't even want to know…" Bulma couldn't help imagining a short ugly girl with no nose. She felt a bit bad about that, but couldn't help herself.

"She is quite an amazing creature… She must have inherited from her mother and not her sorry father," said Vegeta of a growl in his voice. Bulma was taken aback at this for a moment. _He was actually defending someone?_ She thought to herself. Her mind boggled.

"So you ran into… Goku's second son. What's his name?" she asked curiously.

"Goten. Baldy's child is named Marron."

"Describe them… in detail…"

"Woman… you will meet them soon enough," he said sharpy. Women for some reason always had to have details about children, even if they were thirty years old.

"Okok, you blow up the ship and then what…?" The story was intriguing Bulma to no ends and she snuggled up even closer to him, enjoying the warmth his body was giving off.

"I found their mangled carcasses and threw them into a regeneration tank. After that, I interrogated them about what had happened on Chikyuu, and on Kakkarot's power level. I had hoped to settle that old score. However, Kakkarot's brat is quite the Saiyan, unlike his pathetic relations. He had come in space in search of me… to show him his Saiyan nature, because he could not tame it."

"This is Goten right?"

"Yes… as the last true Saiyan, I felt it my duty to preserve whatever heritage was left of my people. I consented to his training, and I ended up training the other one as well." He stopped for a moment. "They have made me proud."

This Vegeta surprised Bulma for the upteenth time. She would never have expected him to train children and then seem to have fatherly affections. Then again, Trunks seemed to have a strong affection for his father when he had returned. Perhaps she had misjudged Vegeta.

"What happened then… that's only fifteen years out of thirty," she prodded.

"I trained them for a year before some warlords arrived on my world. They devastated it from orbit, yet they did not kill us. When they moved to land we slaughtered them. Apparently the warlords had already begun to battle for the remains of Freiza's empire, and Coola himself had begun to take bits of it. These are called the Union Wars. For five years we went to war and forged an intergalactic empire of half a thousand worlds and now I am its deposed emperor," he said in a soft tone, which was a cross somewhere between regret, and anger.

"Hmmph… not for long. As long as you get that collar off you'll be right back where you were."

"Woman… it is not that simple. Bojack would never have succeeded if he did not have strong support from some people of the Empire. There is much dissent, and always had been. The worlds out there are not like Chikyuu. Many are poor and their inhabitants bitter."

"Well… you need technology…"

"And if they don't want it?"

"Why wouldn't they want it? That's silly Vegeta, technology can only make life better for them."

"Irrelevant. What do you do if they do not want it?"

"Well…" She had no answer for that.

"Being Emperor is similar to balancing upon a enormous sand dune that is constantly shifting. It is a task that is hardly rewarding," he explained.

"So what are you going to do about it?" she asked. She wasn't use to a Vegeta that thought things through. She would have expected him to throw a temper tantrum and demand his royal privileges."

"I do not know yet… we will see when we get to Chikyuu…"

* * *

_Parliamentary Meeting… Chikyuu…_

"Marron! What are you doing here?" asked Videl. She had spotted Marron waving furiously at her. Videl had been in politics for twenty some years now and was a shrewd judge of character, and hence she knew something was amiss. She'd always known that Marron had some sort of secret that she was keeping from the rest of them. However, she had always been a close family friend, and Videl only offered her assistance once. When that was turned down, she had the understanding to not ask again.

"Videl… Goten's in there. Do you think I can sit in with you as an aide or something? I want to know what he is up to." Marron's posture and assertiveness was somewhat unusual for her. She usually was a very shy girl who kept to herself, and only spoke when spoken to. At least, that's what everyone on Chikyuu thought. That she had somehow 'snagged' such a 'catch' as Trunks Yamcha Briefs was a bewildering fact to most of high society.

"Marron, I can't just…"

"Videl this is very important. Something is going down." Marron's insistence began to worry Videl as it was so out of character for the young blonde.

"What? Is this about Goten and Gohan?"

"Goten is HERE…"

"He's an Imperial Duke, and we are a client state. He can sit in if he wants to…"

"No… he came with four armed guards… and he has his scouter on! You know he can sense ki so there's no reason for him to have it on. I know he doesn't go anywhere with guards and in full imperial regalia unless it's for something official," said Marron a bit perplexed. She needed to convince Videl to let her in with her. Otherwise she'd have to go ask one of the Brief's pet representatives, which she really didn't want to do as Trunks would get word of her being here.

"Isn't that a bit paranoid?"

"You don't know HIM, Videl. He's not the same as the DUKE as he is as Goten." This struck Videl as something that was very true. She'd only had a glimpse at the Duke, but she'd known Goten for most of his, and her own life. They most definitely weren't the same.

"Ok Marron… come on. I trust you, but this better be good."

"Thanks Videl. Is Gohan here?"

"Yes… he's coming with his father, and mine. I always have them come."

Marron frowned. She did not like what was going on. Fireworks were about to go off, she was sure of it. However, she didn't know what her own role would be in it. She was sure that Goten knew that she would show up, and had planned accordingly. He was an expert at not only deep space warfare, but political warfare as well.

She quickly joined Videl's entourage and they entered the main chamber together. Videl went to one of the forward seats and sat down as her position as Minister of Energy entitled her. Marron sat down in the back, and was joined by Gohan, Goku, and Mr. Satan about ten minutes later.

The assembly hall was packed. Reporters, legislators, and aides were everywhere. Everyone also noticed the arrival of the world hero Mr. Satan with another former Budokai champion, Goku, and his son in law, Gohan. They all sat together and their simple presence was enough to show that the Son clan had reached heights of enormous prestige and power. The Son family was the rising star of this generation, even, as it was whispered in corners, to challenge the Briefs, and other older families that had been long in power.

A few minutes before the opening ceremony started, Marron watched in trepidation as Goten strode out into the middle of the large chamber. He was flanked by four of his elites, and was in full Imperial dress. He stopped and spoke to the Prime Minister for a second and she could tell that he was asking, no ordering him to do something. The older man did not look pleased. A moment later the Prime Minster got up and moved to open this particular session of the Chikyuu Parliament.

"Distinguished ladies and gentleman. I have the honor today of commencing this years opening session of Parliament. However, at the request of the Duke de Sirrus, I have consented to let him make opening remarks." Turning to Goten, he gestured politely. "My Lord Sirrus, you have the floor."

Goten walked up to the podium regally, and scanned the chamber. He paused for a moment and looked hard at the area where his family was. Though he did not show it on the outside, inwardly he was extremely nervous. This one action, would, perhaps, sever him from his family completely.

"Distinguished gentleman, ladies, and others," he began. "I have requested to speak first so as not to allow you all to waste your time. As we all know, time is precious. Now, under Article XII, section 1 of the Chikyuu treaty with the Imperium it states that: 'In the event of a rebellion in the Imperium, Planet Chikyuu and all its inhabitants will become a direct state of the Empire.'"

He paused a moment to let his words sink in to the legislators. A low questioning murmur began to ripple through the room, as legislators turned and whispered sharply to each other to see if anyone else knew the Duke's intentions.

Marron narrowed her eyes as she tried to unravel the game Goten was playing at. Suddenly, she realized that with the Empire in rebellion there was something Goten could do, would need to do in that situation. Gohan caught her sharp intake of breath as she realized what was going on.

"Marron what is it? What is he up to?" whispered Gohan.

She didn't get a chance to answer before Goten began to speak again. "Three weeks ago there was a coup at Imperia-sei. The Emperor was forced to flee. Therefore I invoke article XII, section 1. Chikyuu is now a direct state of the Imperium."

The murmurs this time around were much louder. There was a very worried timber to the voices now. Goten continued on despite this. "The presence of Sixth Fleet here at Chikyuu is due to the foresaid event. Chikyuu will be the base of operations for the legion until the rebellion is crushed. Your cooperation is required."

At this point the murmur went straight to outrage. The assembly exploded in shouting and talking.

"You cannot do that! You can't just walk in here and tell us what to do!" shouted one member. Others quickly moved to bolster this member's claim. The shouting went on for almost five minutes growing louder and louder. Goten simply stood there and looked out at the crowd with a look of utter contempt.

"As you are now under direct Imperial rule you are now subject to the laws of the Empire," he said. His voice, though it did not change in tone, changed in volume so that it rose over all the members wailing. "By the third amendment of the Imperial Constitution, if a parliamentary body is in conflict with the ranking noble then that noble reserves the right to dissolve parliament and invoke martial law. As the ranking noble and, as you all are, obviously, in conflict, I hereby dissolve this parliamentary body. Martial law is now imposed on Chikyuu."

Marron couldn't believe it and she saw Gohan and Goku both looking at Goten in utter shock. How could that be their brother, and son? Goten was basically saying that he was taking over as the ruler of Chikyuu. For their whole lives, Gohan and Goku had fought to keep Chikyuu free, so that people may live happily. Now, one of their own had seemingly turned on them.

The outrage was evident on the parliamentary floor. The legislators were going nuts. Without warning Goten powered up a ki blast and fired it straight into the loudest, most obnoxious group of protestors. It exploded sending the men flying and leaving a huge scorch mark on the wall there. Gohan shot out of his seat. He wasn't about to let Goten hurt anyone, brother or no. However, he felt himself grabbed and pushed right back down by Marron, who had already powered up as well. "Gohan, trust him… HE knows what he's doing." She knew why she was here now. Goten obviously expected her to keep his family under control. She looked over at Goku who was looking at his son with an intense anger.

"Goku… trust your son. He's a good man and always has been. Sometimes things can't always be done in a friendly manner," she explained. _That man is going to owe me big…_

"Marron… This is not how Goten was raised. What is going on?"

"Goku… There is a crisis, I… I don't know, I haven't asked him what exactly is happening. I should have, but I didn't. I'm sorry, but we have to trust him," she said hastily. She understood Goten's motivations. They were to save the lives of billions. In order to do so, he had to impose a few months of hardship on a few. That he would risk his ties with his family to do so proved to her, beyond a doubt that he was still a man who cared, not only about the Imperium as an ideal, but about the people as well.

"Alright, we'll see what happens. If Goten tries to be a tyrant though… No matter if he is my son, I won't let him do it," warned Goku.

"Just give him time… ok… Gohan?"

Gohan just nodded and sat back down. Marron let out a deep sigh, and turned to look at Goten. She saw him looking up at her with a small smirk on his face. _That bastard knew exactly what would happen. He counted on me to help him… I'll… I'll…_Marron was fuming.

"Silence," snapped Goten, when he saw that the situation with his family had been diffused. There was silence. "The next man who speaks without receiving permission will be sentenced to death. The Emperor is en route, and until he arrives I speak with his voice. My word is law. Any deviation of my orders will be construed as treason, and will be met with deadly force."

The silence continued. No one had the audacity to raise his or her voice. Goten stood at the head of the room radiating power. It took almost three minutes before one person drew up the courage to raise their hand. He acknowledged her with a nod of his head.

"Goten… What is your plan then to govern Chikyuu in the absence of parliament," asked Videl hesitantly, "and what about our rights."

"Minister Satan, You will address me by title," rebuked Goten. His eyes flashed downwards and locked with hers. Videl couldn't believe that this was the same Goten that she had known for all her life. He was not the happy, carefree Goten she knew. His dark gaze cut through her like a piece of obsidian. Videl was scared of this Goten.

"My apologies, milord. Allow me to rephrase. What will you, my lord, do in the absence of parliament?

"My dear sister. I would have you select a regency board comprised of four other members of this respected body. You may select at your discretion." _Indeed, he knew he could trust her implicitly_.

Videl brought her lips into a thin line. This was not what she expected at all. She was actually quite furious at Goten, and even more so now. He was making it seem like that she was involved in his little coup.

"Do you accept, Sister?"

Videl had no choice. She curtseyed and said, "I accept milord."

* * *

_Later that day…_

Bulma sat in her office pondering the events of the day. She had heard from her pet legislators about the takeover. It did not make her happy. _The Sons think they can get away with this?_ she thought amusingly to herself. She was sure that this was a plot by Videl to usurp power using Imperial backing. This move, though, would not go unchallenged, nor would she stand idly by and let the Briefs family dwindle to obscurity. _Videl, you just made yourself a few too many enemies today and we'll just see how you can handle it._

* * *

_A little while later across town…_

Trunks sat in the chair of his executive suite looking bored. He hated this idiotic job, and would have been much more pleased if he had been out playing polo at the club. Of course, he had heard the news of Goten's takeover. Everyone had by this time. The Imperial Soldiers that were outside this very building was a stark reminder of that.

_How did that idiot of a Son get to become a Duke… this is just not fair!_ He thought to himself with envy. Goten surely must have had access to even more wealth than he and that annoyed him. They had been somewhat of rivals since they were little kids, even though they had been friends. Trunks had always been smarter and constantly had tricked Goten into using his superior Saiyan strength into doing things for him. It had been long established that HE was the boss of the two. Now things were different and Trunks didn't like it when people thought they could get the better of him. No sir, he was Trunks Yamcha Briefs, heir to Capsule Corporation.

"Mr. Briefs?" asked his secretary over the intercom. "There is someone on the video phone for you… the Prime Minister."

"The PRIME MINISTER?" Trunks shouted. "Why would he call me?"

"I… I have no idea, sir," replied his secretary.

"Ok put him through."

In front of his desk a hologram appeared. The aging Prime Minister's hawk-like face was clearly distinguishable. "Mr. Briefs… I hope I haven't called at a bad time. You are free, yes?"

"Oh… Prime Minister Whittlesby. Of, of course I'm free. How may I be of service?" asked Trunks hesitantly.

"Well surely you have heard the news of the coup led by the Son family?"

"Yes… yes… I have received news of it already. Prime Minister, why do you call me instead of my mother?"

"Because… Mr. Briefs, people like your mother and I… we are old. Our time is past, its time for new men like yourself to come forth and take up the torch in the upcoming conflict."

"Upcoming conflict?" asked Trunks. He had no idea what this man was talking about, but he very much liked the idea of taking up the torch, especially taking it from the hag of his mother. He really hated that bitch.

"Oh yes… you don't think the free people of Chikyuu will just lie down and take this do you? We will fight for our liberty and you Trunks Yamcha Briefs can help us win."

"I'm not sure about this… You are asking me to commit treason. I heard Goten's speech and I'm not about to mess with the Saiyans… especially if his father and brother are in support. Even Mr. Satan!"

"Yes… you see that's the problem. We can't do anything with the Son family's sheer power. They control the military, and are the most powerful beings on the planet… but we have an ally in the empire… the ones that the Duke labeled as rebels."

Trunks was thoroughly intrigued now. He didn't like the fact that Goten had pulled a fast one on him at his party the other night. He wanted to get Goten back, and what better way than to bring him low politically. It never occurred to him that there may have been bigger issues involved.

"What do you need me for?" he asked.

"You simply need to have one of your Capsule Corporation ships pick up four individuals on Imperia-sei and have them come to Chikyuu. They will take care of the rest."

"That is no problem. We have two ships there right now. They are both impounded though."

"Yes… they will be released, just make sure that you tell the Sixth Fleet provost to expect the ship with a crew of twelve, carrying whatever cargo you want."

"That's no problem… and if I do this… what's in it for me?"

"You will be made Governor of Scandia. It's a beautiful place, which requires little effort to run. You know about Scandia, don't you."

Oh Trunks knew about Scandia. Everyone knew about Scandia and the gorgeous women that were native there. Its lush tropical beaches, and pristine climate, made it the most exclusive resort spot in the world. He could have a lot of fun in Scandia.

"Ok… we have a deal."

"Very good Mister Briefs… I bid you good day then."

"Good bye, Prime minister." The vid screen flashed off and Trunks smiled to himself. He'd show up the Sons once and for all, and establish himself in politics. That would annoy his mother as well. She always tried to control his life by controlling his purse, but now he had an alternative. He'd make it out on his own and suddenly he found himself very aroused by that fact.

"Ellen," he said into the intercom, "I need you to do some things for me, but first come in here." He'd have to enjoy himself first, and then have his secretary go about setting up the prime minister's plan. As she walked in, he couldn't help but look lecherously at her svelte figure. He had definitely hired her for her looks as much as her skills.

"Anyone tell you, you look delicious today Ellen?" he said, fully aware of what he wanted. And what he wanted, he would get. After all he was Trunks Yamcha Briefs.

* * *

Author's note: Ok slowed it down… time to build up the suspense… setting up for the confrontation. Sooon… Sooon my dear readers they will meet. What will happen? No one knows! 


	13. Chapter Thirteen: My daughter

Author's Note: New scene plus major changes to old ones. This chapter is completely revised. The previous Pan/Marron conversation didn't fit at all with the later rivalry the two have.

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 13: That's my Daughter?

_During the Parliamentary Meeting…_

"This is Imperial Star Cruiser _Vision_. Unknown shuttle identify yourself or you will be fired upon," crackled the radio. It had only taken a few days for Pan and Trunks to reach Chikyuu from Sirrus Four. Trunks had spent most of the time taking it easy, and conserving energy. There just hadn't been enough food on the ship to feed two hungry Saiyans as well as Buu. He was now in a sad state of health, his metabolism was beginning to cannibalize his muscles. Both Pan and Buu had been concerned about him, but he feigned it off as illness. _Only a few more hours, and then I can eat… as soon as I land on Chikyuu… mmmm… Steaks mmmmm… Chicken… mm_. His eyes slowly drooped and he quietly slipped into sleep. It was the best way for him to conserve energy, not to mention that going hungry for so long made him extremely drowsy.

"Trunks?" Pan looked over at him worriedly. He had suddenly gotten ill over the short period of time that it took them to get to Chikyuu. It worried her that he slept so much. There hadn't been much that she could do on the way here, but she knew help could be found on Chikyuu. Better yet, Sixth fleet was in orbit when they had arrived. This was what she had been hoping for since that meant her uncle was probably here. She did not want to have to deal with her father without any support. For Trunks, the fleet being here meant that he could get the best medical treatment. He just needed to hold on for a little while longer.

"WE repeat… Identify yourself Shuttle. You have thirty seconds before we atomize you," came the warning from the Sixth Fleet patrol ship.

"Trunks… hold on. I have to respond or they'll blow us up," said Pan. She quickly turned her attention away from Trunks and to the control board. "Imperial Cruiser… This is Lady Son Pan, to whom do I speak?"

There was silence to her response for a moment. Pan was sure that they were running a check on her voice to make sure she was whom she claimed.

"Lady Pan. This is Captain McMillan. I'm sorry, but Admiral Hideyoshi has given specific orders that anyone claiming to be Son Pan is to be brought to him for visual confirmation. Please prepare to be boarded. We'll take you over to the flagship."

"That is no problem. I have a sick passenger Captain. Is it possible that you can see to him while I'm with the Admiral?"

"Sure thing Lady Pan. I'll have a med team meet you as soon as we dock. McMillan out."

"You'll be in good hands Trunks," she said softly as she looked over at his sleeping form. She couldn't help put take his hand in her own and softly ran her thumb back and forth along the back of it. "You'll… be ok."

* * *

_Several Hours later…_

As her Uncle did earlier in the day, Pan rode down in a shuttle to Chikyuu's surface. She looked out the window of the shuttle and signed. She really didn't want to come home. Space had been good for her. She had learned to control her Saiyan instincts and had also created a niche for herself. Though her uncle looked out for her, she mostly relied on herself. Her line of work took her to some of the darkest corners of the Imperium, and Pan had been through a lot over the last four years.

Her work had matured her far beyond her twenty years. She was even expecting be given a title of her own sometime within the next two or three years. Despite this, when she came home she was treated as a child. It was absolutely infuriating. Worse, she didn't have the heart to tell her father what exactly she did. As an Imperial agent, Pan was obliged to remove threats against the Emperor on occasion. She usually didn't have to terminate people, but sometimes it was necessary. Most of the time she just collected information on the dealings of the various underworld factions. She was like an undercover CIA agent given complete autonomy and a license to kill. The work was dangerous, of course, and sometimes dirty.

Her Saiyan side needed this adventure, this rush, and more than anything, this violence. She wasn't like her father or her grandfather. They had somehow suppressed their nature, but neither her, nor her uncle, had been able to accomplish that. So she channeled it towards something that would do some good as well as keep her sane.

The problem was that her father would never understand that. In fact, he would probably try to make her stay on Chikyuu if he even had a hint of what she was up to. It was always a trying time when she came home. While she was still trying to prep herself for the upcoming meeting with her father, her communicator went off with a beep.

"Pan here," she said briskly.

"Pan! This is Trunks. I just wanted to tell you that I'm alright," came Trunks' voice.

Pan smiled in relief. An uneasy feeling to began to well up within her; Trunks was too much of a weakness for her. People in her line of work could not afford loved ones, especially ones that could be so easily removed. Her enemies couldn't exactly target her uncle, her father, or her grandfather. Firstly, they were on a remote planet, and were all rather influential there. Second, no one in his or her right mind would try to take down a Super Saiyan. And even if they didn't know they were Super Saiyans, there was no real danger to her family—it would take someone of extraordinary powers to do anything to any of her family.

Trunks, however, was an easy target. Though she herself never had to take out loved ones instead of the actual target, Pan knew that her predecessor had done just those things. She was glad that politics were much less Byzantine now. However, despite the hell of a job the Emperor and her uncle had done pulling the worlds into order and establishing peace, assassinations such as those still took place among the top families of the Imperium. Any life that Trunks led with her would put him in grave danger. She didn't know how she felt about that.

"I'm so relieved at hearing that Trunks… what was wrong with you?" she asked after a moment.

"Oh… I just wasn't eating right. The doctor said I had to make sure to get the right amount of protein and calories or my body would just start to slow down.

"I see…. Sorry I ate all the food Trunks. I didn't know that you needed more."

"Don't worry about it Pan. Everything is all right now and that's what counts. Where should I meet you?"

"Well… I have to meet my uncle for a meeting right now. Afterwards we are going to see my family. Why don't I meet you for breakfast tomorrow?"

"Oh… tomorrow? Ok… I guess I can just find a hotel or something," Trunks was obviously bit disappointed. He really wanted to see Chikyuu with her, but it was probably for the best; he had to eat, and she had to see her family.

"Trunks… I have to do this."

"I know… if you need an ear… well you have one, ok?"

"Thanks Trunks. I'll probably call you out on that one."

"Sure thing… Talk to you later and good luck."

"Thanks. Bye Trunks."

The shuttle shuddered as it landed a minute or two after she had her conversation with Trunks. Pan shook her head to clear her thoughts. Things were spinning out of control for her. She had to not only deal with her family now, but her feelings for Trunks as well. Worse, if she did decide to go with her feelings, then she had to introduce him to her family. She was a bit worried about how that was going to go over. She remembered Trunks' reaction when she had told him that she was Gohan's daughter. Then again, he already knew some of the secrets. Perhaps the alien heritage thing would go over smoothly. _Oh well… one thing at a time,_ she thought to herself as she stepped out of the shuttle to a waiting car.

"Lady Pan. A pleasure to see you again," said the waiting adjunct. The man was tall and his face weathered. He was about fifty years old and gray hairs had begun to dominate his former brown color. She smiled when she saw him. He had been one of her uncle's men for years. She had known him since she was sixteen and he was a good man to go to for advice.

"Good to see you Geoff. Where's my Lord Uncle? I expected him to meet me personally," asked Pan. Her uncle was a busy man, and she knew that she was acting like a little child when she asked such a question. However, the Duke de Sirrus had always met her before whenever she had come and it was out of character for him to send an aide.

"He's meeting with Minister Satan at the moment. He informed me that it was urgent and that he couldn't put it off, he said you'd understand, m'lady."

Pan halted in mid-step. "He's talking with Minister SATAN?" she exclaimed incredulously. There could only be one person that could hold that title and if her uncle was talking to her then that means all the skeletons were coming out of the closet. That would make life even more complicated for one Son Pan.

"Well… Your Lord Uncle dissolved the Chikyuu parliament not more than three hours ago. He is creating a regency board for now. His past is becoming public knowledge. I don't know about yours though. You are to attend this meeting though. Duke's orders."

"You have gotta be kidding me? This… this…" sputtered Pan. She couldn't believe what was happening, though she had always known it would happen eventually.

"It won't be too bad m'lady. I know a little bit about your family and I think everything will work out," assured the aide. "Come on. We must be going. The meeting is already starting and since you just came in, I'm sure the Duke will want you to speak."

He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a capsule. "These are also for you, milady. Your uncle insisted that you present yourself in full dress uniform. A changing station will be provided as soon as we arrive. There's also a little surprise in there for you as well."

Pan closed her eyes and swallowed nervously. This was not going to be pretty.

* * *

_At the same time…_

"Goten!" said Videl with more than a hint of anger in her voice as she caught up to her younger brother-in-law. She had seen him walk out one of the side exits as the parliamentary meeting was breaking up. It had taken her only minutes to decide which six members would make up the regency board and she had her aides begin to round them up. They were all scheduled to meet with the Duke de Sirrus in an hour, but she wanted words with her brother prior to that.

"Yes, Regent?" he said emotionlessly. His four guards flanked him and Videl could tell that they were ready for action.

"Goten, you fucking prick," she shouted at him. Videl's fiery temper had abated quite a bit as she had grown older, but there were times when she reverted to the obstinate brash youth she had once been. She didn't care that Goten was the Duke de Sirrus or that he was a Super Saiyan. He had ambushed her with that little regency stunt and made her seem like a complete tool. He'd undermined so much of her hard earned political capital that she didn't even know if she'd get re-elected and she certainly wouldn't be a minister after this fiasco. In more than one way, she felt betrayed. She wanted answers and she wanted to vent.

Unfortunately, the Lord Sirrus was not someone you shouted at in anger even if you were his sister. Videl's eyes grew as wide as she was thrown to the ground by a blast of invisible ki. The temperature of the room dropped to zero faster than three-ton truck driving off a bridge. She gulped as she saw a visible energy ball form in Goten's hand aimed at her. She couldn't believe the cold eyed man standing before her was her laughable, huggable Goten.

"I suggest you rephrase that quickly, regent. Otherwise your appointment will terminate rather quickly, ne?" His voice was as cold as his eyes. Videl could see other politicians and aides scatter. Some ran for their lives.

"Lord Sirrus, I would like to know why…" She stopped and changed her mind about what she was going to say as she saw his eyes flicker in annoyance, "err…if I could have a private audience with you?" It wasn't what she was going to ask at first, but Videl hadn't gotten to her where she was by being stupid.

"Why don't we use the nearest conference room? I think we have much to discuss prior to the meeting." He signaled to one of the guards and the man immediately strode on in front of them while talking into his scouter. It was obvious that he was getting directions to the nearest private room.

Videl walked in silence side by side with Goten as the guard led the way. She wanted to say something, but frankly this new Goten frightened her out of her mind. She knew of the power of the Saiyans; she'd seen Goku and Gohan spar. They all walked with that quiet powerful aura, but neither Gohan nor Goku radiated that aura of danger that Goten did. Her husband and father-in-law were peaceful people and she had always thought Goten was the same. No, he was the same until about an hour ago. Now he was like a hungry wolf walking amongst sheep—any second he could become violent and begin the slaughter. Videl shivered. _Damn why can't Gohan be like that once in a while?_

"Cold in summer?" asked Goten not truly understanding as he saw her shiver. It amused him and horrified him at the same time. He didn't want Videl to fear him, but he couldn't let her get away with that sort of disrespect in public. While he could have let that slide, especially here on Chikyuu where it didn't matter, it just wasn't in his nature.

Videl didn't answer. She stayed silent until they were led into a conference room and the guard shut the door behind him on the way out.

"You weren't acting back there were you?" asked Videl as she flopped into a chair. "You honestly would have blasted me if I hadn't said the right thing."

"Heh, Videl, I'm sorry about that," he apologized sincerely. He didn't let himself go back to the usual Goten that he pretended to be, but he did let himself relax. The tension lessened in the room automatically as brother and sister sat down across from each other. "And yes, but I wouldn't of hurt you. You're family. Plus, I don't want to piss off Gohan anymore than I already have. Still…"

She waved it off. "I would have slapped a subordinate down just as hard as you if they did something like that to me. I should be the one apologizing but you pissed me off and I wasn't thinking." She saw him about to lecture her but she cut him off. "I'm not Gohan, you don't have to tell me about how to play politics. Still I want a good reason for what you did to me today. That was not acceptable Goten. Not at all."

"I had no choice, Videl. If enough resistance could have been put together then fighting would have broken out, and that would have caused too many unnecessary deaths. The surprise had to be complete," explained Goten.

Videl nodded. She had come to the same conclusion on her own. "You could have told me… you made me look completely in cahoots with you. I can't help you if my reputation is destroyed."

"That's why you had to be truly surprised. Those who are members of your faction will know you had nothing to do with it and will continue to support you. The others will be brought along with a carrot, and if not with the stick."

"I don't agree with you there completely, but I can see your reasoning," said Videl before a frown marred her beautiful face. "There's more though. I think you didn't tell me because you didn't want me to tell Gohan, and if Gohan knew then you might not have pulled this off." Two sets of cold black eyes met each other. It was Goten that looked away first.

"True, but it isn't because I was afraid of failure. Whether Gohan and my father and ALL the other Chikyuu fighters opposed me, I still would have succeeded… but the cost would have been too great. I could not do it that way Videl, I hope you understand that." Goten was quiet, and the confident dangerous aura that he maintained slipped away. Instead, he looked vulnerable, even fragile.

Videl blinked in surprise. The change had been quick and she realized just how much his family mattered to him. "Ok, Goten. I understand…" she said as she let out a great heavy sigh. "So what do we do now? Where do we go from here?"

"I hoped you would," he said with a wain little smile. "For now things continue as they have been with us. I am the Duke de Sirrus, but I'm still Goten. Can you reconcile that?"

"I don't think I'm the one who's going to have problems reconciling that." The warning in Videl's voice was clear. "You are going to have to explain to the rest of our family what is going on."

"I know."

Silence settled between the two in-laws as the conversation came to a dead end. Several minutes passed as both of them weighed the consequences of the day's actions. Finally, Goten said, "I think we need to move on to business. I'm not sure that I can take more of this emotional trauma.'

"I agree whole-heartedly. So, what do you want from me?" asked Videl.

"I need you to build a base of support for Imperial rule here on Chikyuu. Things will be fair, but there might be some… loss of freedom in some areas such as price gouging. Resources will also be diverted to military production for the near future. Of course a fair price will be paid for all services and goods rendered—in Imperial credits."

"If the prices are fair then this will be something that Chikyuu needed badly," mused Videl. "A fresh infusion of Imperial credits would jump start our economy. I can spin that."

"There will also be some policy changes and military rule will not be relaxed until Bojack is defeated. I cannot have factions bickering behind my back." Goten stood up and paced the room as he brought his thoughts into line. "I must have a secure base of operations, Videl, to begin the campaign to retake the Imperium. There is no one else I can trust to keep Chikyuu firmly in control other than you. No else has the political understanding or even the legitimacy you have as an elected minister and as Mr. Satan's daughter."

"Goten… You are talking about striping a free planet and putting it under martial law. You are talking about making me a dictator and expecting me to keep things under control for you? This is a tall order brother dear."

"I know, but there is no else that can do it. I must have Chikyuu pacified while I deal with Bojack's coming strike fleet. It will be coming soon because as long as I am alive he will never be in complete control."

Videl nodded. "Ok, but if I do this you have to give me free reign and I do it my way. I'm not going to be a dictator. I'll create a coalition government and work from there."

"No government can rule by committee."

"My way Goten," she repeated firmly. Her eyes met his again and there was again a struggle of wills. He needed her though, and she knew that he'd give in. A beep from his scouter broke the tension. She saw his eye flicker to the corner and then a broad smile appeared on his face.

"Alright, Videl. We'll do it your way," he said pleasantly. "We have to go, the meeting is about to start and Pan just arrived. She'll debrief us."

"Pan's here?" asked Videl rhetorically. Her eyes suddenly were alit with happiness and she almost bounced with excitement. "My baby girl is finally home… wait." Videl's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What do you mean debrief us? What does she have to do with any of this, Goten?"

Goten returned Videl's look cooly. "Videl... Be proud of your daughter. She's someone special."

* * *

_A short while later… _

Pan arrived at the Chikyuu Parliamentary building a short while after she stepped off the shuttle. She was nervous and ecstatic at the same time. Geoff had given her a new uniform and with it a pair of surprises. The uniform was a normal Imperial Agent's official uniform. It was a simple black jacket over a white blouse with matching black pants. The collar was red and a gleaming eagle's eye was pinned on each end. The difference now was that she wore an orb on each collar and that meant that she had been given her first official noble rank. She was now Baroness Son Pan of the Crecy star system. To top that off, she had received a new promotion to the rank of full commander.

Yet, despite these things, Pan felt as nervous as a young virgin on her bride's night. Her mother would find out far too much today, and she knew that her parents would soon be quizzing her about her activities. Everything was coming to a head. _Calm yourself Pan,_ she thought to herself, _You will go into this as you go into everything else. With dignity and pride. Remember your pride._ She could almost here HIS voice as he instructed her on the manner a Saiyan holds herself. To hold oneself with pride, it was almost a motto. Slowly Pan ascended the stairs as she followed her uncle's aide towards the chamber where the deliberations were being held.

"PAN!" came a voice that she vaguely recognized. She couldn't quite place it as she scanned the area around her. There was no one that she recognized.

"Pan, you don't recognize me do you?" asked Marron as she walked up to the young girl. It pleased her that Pan had done so well for herself in space. She had seen the devastating effects of being forced into the Chikyuu mold on the young saiyan. She hadn't been sure when she saw the little girl leave if Space would be good for her, but the young woman that had returned brimmed with confidence and intelligence. The insignia that Pan now wore on her collars highlighted her success.

"Marron? I'm sorry. I just couldn't place your voice. A lot on my mind," apologized Pan. Marron wasn't exactly the person she wanted to see now. The blonde had always made her edgy. She had met her several times five years ago just a few months before she had left for space with her uncle and Pan always had the impression that Marron was superficial. She was always quiet and polite, but her eyes were too sharp and too calculating for someone who was so demure. She was… artificial and Pan did not like that one bit.

"Your uncle and mother just went into a meeting. I was wondering if you could deliver this note to your uncle for me," asked Marron. Her voice was as sweet as honey, but her eyes were aflame. They burned with an inner fire and if Pan wasn't mistaken, a bit of malice.

"What's this for?" asked Pan curiously. Marron remained silent and starred at Pan. She obviously expected Pan to accept without her giving a reason and Pan was not pleased about it. She would have refused but she also remembered that Marron and her uncle had some strange history between them. Her uncle never spoke of her, so she was sure that it wasn't something pleasant.

"I can do that for you," replied Pan with a false smile. Her uncle would eat Marron up and spit her out if she tried something.

"Thank you, Pan. I have to get back to Capsule Corporation now," said Marron as she turned and walked away.

Pan watched her leave with distaste. There was just something about that woman that made her queasy. Shrugging, she turned and walked into the parliamentary building. She had a meeting to attend and Marron wasn't her concern.

* * *

_A few moments later… _

The members of the regency staff that Videl had put together sat around a half circular table in the middle of a large chambered room. There were about twenty people in the room. Of those, only six were representing Chikyuu. The rest of them were Goten's men. The meeting was a briefing for everyone to understand the current situation on Chikyuu.

Videl, herself, sat frowning at the way the proceedings were going. She couldn't stop staring at her brother-in-law as she watched him speak with uncharacteristic charisma. Oh, he had always been charismatic but in a very naïve and innocent sort of way. Now, he was absolutely brilliant; he knew economics, politics, sociology, law and even technical details in just about every area. Moreover he was the most devious politician she'd ever seen. He would present the pros and cons of his proposals and then subtlety infer the very dire and life threatening consequences that would follow if they weren't accepted. They truly were offers that could not be refused. But, his propositions were almost all fair, and to the point. They gave him maximum advantage and also provided great incentives to those of Chikyuu who went along with him.

She couldn't stop staring at those five orbs on his collar—those five sparkling gems that declared him an Imperial Duke. In fact, she couldn't stop staring at him in general. She had always thought of him as the little seven-year boy that she used to play with and train with. She'd learn to fly with him and she'd always been the one he went to when he had problems. He had always been a little intimidated of Gohan and his father really was clueless on a lot of worldly things. So it had been up to her to help a young boy struggle through childhood and then adolescence. They had been close up until he had gone away.

Now, after today's events, she saw him as a stranger. Gone was the innocent happy boy Goten. A man had replaced the boy and she was having difficulties grasping that. This Duke de Sirrus, this cold-eyed charismatic man that made her… made her what? Shiver? Shiver in fear or something else? Videl firmly squashed that line of thought and forced herself to pay attention to what he was saying instead of other things.

"Twenty percent of Chikyuu's industrial capacity will be geared towards military munitions. They will be priced 10 percent over cost and will be sold to us on credit, but in Imperial currency. This is fair, as we will be purchasing large quantities. Your industries will make quite a profit," stated Goten.

There was a knock on the door, and Goten stopped speaking. Everyone turned to see who would dare intrude on such a meeting.

The door opened and Goten's aide walked in. "Baroness Crecy, milord."

Goten nodded. "Hon. Ladies and Gentleman. I would like to pause here and give you an update on the situation in the Imperium. The Baroness has arrived during our session and this will be the most up to date information. Baroness, please come in. You have the floor."

Videl watched as a young black haired woman walked in. She blinked a moment as she looked at the face of the woman. She knew that face, but it couldn't be who she thought it was. There was no way it could.

"Milord Duke de Sirrus," said the voice. Videl knew that voice. The voice was right.

"Admirals," continued the voice. She was dreaming. Videl pinched herself, but the face and voice didn't change.

"Hon. Ladies and Gentleman." The voice was clear, and crisp. It obviously was not unfamiliar with giving a report in front of important people. Videl still couldn't bring herself to believe what her eyes and senses were telling her. It just couldn't be her baby.

"Mother," said the voice directly to her. Videl felt herself beginning to get light headed. First the surprise of Goten being a Duke, now her daughter stood before her in full Imperial regalia as well. She looked more closely at her daughter and saw that she was wearing the uniform of a commander. Moreover, she had a title as evident by the orb on her collar. Videl didn't know what the red eye was, but she was sure that it was something important as she noticed the utmost attention every one of the Imperials were giving her. How did her daughter accomplish all this? Who was her daughter really? What had she been doing in space?

These questions flashed through Videl's mind. She looked over at Goten hoping to garner some clues from him. He, however, was listening to what Pan was saying with his full attention. Videl decided that this would have to wait till later and turned her attention to what Pan was saying as well.

"… The major systems nearby are held by Bojack's troops. Sirrus four, itself, is base to most of the remaining portions of fifth fleet, as well as contingents from fourth and seventh. Commodore Anders was given command of this fleet but he is no longer with us. I, unfortunately, do not know his replacement."

"Baroness, How did Anders come to an end?" asked one of the lower ranking military officers at the meeting.

"His flagship met with an unfortunate accident. A core containment breach if I'm not mistaken. In fact, I'm quite certain of that," said Pan a little smugly.

There was a murmur in the room. "Baroness Crecy, Are you certain? Anders is an excellent strategist and if he were leading the fleet that we are to face we need to know."

"Yes. He is dead. I kept track of his ki during the time I was held on the ship. He did not escape the fiasco."

Videl sharply inhaled her breath. _Held on the ship? MY PAN was a prisoner?_ There was going to be a serious family talk.

"Baroness, may I ask a frank question?" asked one of the Chikyuu parliamentary members. Videl had selected him out of a sense of fairness. The dog like Shu had been a member of parliament for decades. He represented the opposition to Videl and her party, but was almost universally respected for his even honesty and wisdom. Videl always wondered how the guy had anything to do with Pilaf.

"Please Hon. Sir. I would gladly take any question you have," responded Pan.

"I want your honest assessment at what chance does Sixth fleet have against the rebellion. If we are going to do everything you people ask, I think we are entitled to know what are our chances."

This question started conversations throughout the room. Many of them were angry, because they thought the old dog was trying to say that 'if you can't win, we won't help you.' Shu raised his hand for silence.

"I am not saying we won't support you. In fact, I don't think we have a choice anymore. The very fact that you people are here means that we will be automatically associated with you. This is not to mention that most of Sixth fleet are Chikyuu-jins. Even if we demanded you leave, and you did. I have no doubt we will be punished severely. I just want to know the truth."

"I would like to know the _truth_ as well," said Videl echoing the older parliamentary member. She lingered on the world truth, and no one could miss the connotations that went along with that, least of all Pan and Goten. She could see both of them slightly wince at her words.

Pan didn't say anything for a moment. She didn't know what to say really, and her mother speaking out had thrown her out of her equilibrium.

"Pan, go ahead and tell them," said Goten. He knew what their chances were, but he wanted to see what Pan had to say.

"The truth of the matter is… That we have a fair chance of winning," stated Pan with resolution. She firmly believed that. She looked at her uncle and saw him stare up at her with interest.

"If fifth, fourth, and seventh are already at Sirrus we will not have the time to prepare," said Admiral Aethefel. "Explain your reasoning, Colonel."

Pan took a breath before she continued. This was going to be hard to explain. "The problem of time is not of issue I believe. From what I gathered with my briefing with Admiral Hideyoshi, we have almost an entire fleet here as we have replacements from third to fill the gap that was caused by the Sirrus ambush. Now, we may be outnumbered three to one, but we have an advantage they don't. Ki power."

Pan paused and looked around the room. Almost everyone was hanging on her every word. Most of them obviously thought they were making a last stand, but her words seem to have given them hope. She looked at her uncle and saw that he was smiling at her slightly. He knew that they could win, but he wasn't sure. She knew the reason why he wasn't sure.

"Ki power… How many ki users can we come up with?" asked someone.

"An ungodly number," replied Pan. "There are very powerful Ki-users on this planet. In fact, there are two other living beings that are a match if not stronger than the Duke living on this planet."

"Baroness… we do not know if we can count on their support but even if we can, even three ki fighters that can match the Duke's power can't tilt the balance entirely. Also, we would lose the Duke's tactical expertise if he were to go into battle," commented Admiral Hideyoshi.

"Firstly, Admiral. You sell yourself and Admiral Aethefel short," replied Pan. "We aren't battling Cooler or another of the fleet admirals. Anders, for example, was a commodore and lacks the experience in commanding a full fleet, whereas you and Admiral Aethefel have done just this countless of times in the Dukes absence. I believe we have the advantage there.

Furthermore, Buu has returned with me. Add another fighter as powerful as my Lord uncle. There are also the Androids, Seventeen and Eighteen, Piccolo and several other Z-fighters who are nearly at this level. As we well know, that level of ki user is approximately a match for a squadron of Dreadnaughts. I think, in the final tally. We are the ones with the advantage."

Pan could see hope dawn in all the faces of the people there. Most of the Z-fighters kept themselves out of the public eye, so that the vast majority of people had no idea how powerful the fighters of Chikyuu truly were. The only problem that remained was that Pan and Goten had to convince all the others that it was in their interest to help. With their family situation at the moment, this was a harder task to accomplish than it would seem. Fireworks would fly tonight when she got home. She was sure of that

* * *

Author's note: As I was rewriting this chapter, I came up with the interesting idea of having a little Videl/Goten tension… I think Videl after twenty some years of marriage with Gohan would be a little bored… or had gotten bored just because Gohan seems like a boring kind of guy. I figured its time to spice up there marriage… What do you think? Should I try this or do ya'll think it's a little too much? 


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Brothers in Conflict

Author's note: Nothing new in this chapter and only a few edits in the next. uhh... leave a review anyway? Thanks to those who have already.

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 14: Brothers in Conflict

_In deep Space…_

"Dr. Myuu," said the blue skinned Zangya. "We will be arriving on Chikyuu in a few days time. I have already contacted the fleet with instructions. They will move in one day after we destroy the Saiyans."

"Excellent… I have a little something for you and your cohorts," replied the good Doctor. He had waited a long time to exterminate the Saiyans. The next few days were ones he eagerly awaited. "Here are ki enhancing bracelets. They will make you as powerful as the greatest of the Saiyans."

Zangya nodded and took the bracelets from the Doctor. She knew that they would be needed if she and her two comrades were to defeat Goku, and Gohan. They had studied the fighters of Chikyuu thoroughly, and she felt that they could win with ease. In fact, there should really be no problems at all. None of the fighters were that much stronger than them normally, and with the Ki bracelets, the advantage was wholly theirs. As Zangya turned around and walked away, she didn't see the wicked smile on Myuu's face.

"Yes, soon the universe will be mine," whispered Myuu as an evil light gleamed in his eyes.

* * *

_Chikyuu…_

Goten and Pan were speaking pleasantly with several legislators who were very much in favor of the union with the Imperium. In fact, these particular ones hoped that things would stay this way as they had many ties with the Empire. Overall, the mood had moved from outrage to a mild simmer. Videl had announced the various terms that Goten had outlined and most of the legislators had found them favorable. Some were even downright shocked at how fair, or even great they were. Videl was one of these. Goten had actually included many issues which she had actively lobbied for years. His evenhandedness had won him a grudging respect of the majority of the legislators. They were coming to see why he was so renowned.

"Milord Sirrus, Pan," said Videl as she came up to them. Evening was beginning to set in, and the crowds of reporters and people were beginning to leave. Videl wanted nothing more than to take both brother-in-law and daughter over to the nearest interrogation room and put them to the rack. Luckily, she had learned some patience over the years and was willing to wait until they got home which would be very soon. "Chichi just called. She expects everyone at Mt. Paotzu in thirty minutes. I think we best get going."

Goten and Pan nodded. There was one person who they knew never to cross. The grand matron of the Son clan was not one to be trifled with. Making their goodbyes, the three of then leapt into the air and blasted off for Mt. Paotzu.

They arrived twenty-five minutes later. The flight had been silent, even though Videl wanted to say something to her daughter. But, she could tell that Pan wasn't ready to talk so she bit her tongue and waited. When they landed they saw Goku and Gohan already there waiting for them. Gohan's eyes narrowed when he saw Pan. He recognized the uniform and instinctively knew something wasn't quite right.

"Hey daddy…" greeted Pan, "It's really good to see you." She walked up and gave her father a hard hug. She was glad to see her father, and she did miss him. The only thing was that she was very afraid of what might happen this night. Her father hugged her back but didn't say anything. Instead, he glared at his brother.

"Heh… Hey, Pan," said Goku cheerfully. He grabbed his granddaughter and even though she was 5'7 he tossed her up into the air and caught her.

"Grandpa! Put me down Grandpa," laughed Pan. Goku was always the easiest going of the entire family. He was almost always cheerful, and he was genuinely pleased to see his family together. In fact, it seemed that he had already forgotten about the near incident earlier in the day.

"So… wow Pan you look good in that uniform. You look all grown up," said Goku.

"Grandpa… I'm twenty years old. I've been on my own for four years. I AM grown up," replied Pan good-naturedly. She couldn't fault her grandpa for anything. Her father, on the other hand, probably was thinking the same thing as her Grandpa, but not in a positive light.

"You and I will talk after dinner," Gohan growled at Goten. "I want to know what you did to my daughter. I trusted her with you."

"Dad…" Pan started.

"You boys will not start arguing here and you will certainly NOT argue at dinner. Understand?" came a sharp feminine voice from behind them.

Goten and Gohan immediately turned around. There, before them stood the true power in the Son family. She didn't wield it often, but when she did it was sharp and quick. She was the Authority To Be Obeyed At All Times, In Any Circumstance, For Any Reason She Deemed Fit. "Yes mom," the two of them chorused in unison.

"Good. Now come on in and eat. I didn't slave over this meal for nothing, and if so much as a peep of inconsideration comes out of you two…" Chichi held out her frying pan threateningly. "And that goes for all of you. Now, Pan come give your grandma a hug. I haven't seen you in two years. You've really grown up."

Pan did as she was told. No one disobeyed Chichi when she was worked up. "It's good to see you Grandma. I really missed you."

Ten minutes later they were all seated around the table and chatting about every subject besides politics just as Chichi had ordered. It was a good thing that Grandpa Satan was there, as he was able to bring up topic after topic of trivial matters that kept everyone laughing. Buu, as an adopted member of the Satan family, was also there. His antics were always funny, and they helped to keep the mood light.

"Why Trunks no here? Pan no invite Trunks?" asked Buu out of the blue.

Pan's eyes went wide. With all the days events, and worry about her father finding out about her past, she had forgotten to tell Buu to keep Trunks a secret.

"Trunks? What's going on with you and Trunks Briefs, Pan?" asked Goten with a frown. He did not like Trunks Briefs at all. "I didn't know you even stayed in contact with him. I thought you were over that crush a long time ago."

"I don't and I am," said Pan.

"Not dat Trunks! Purple hair Trunks. He strong ki too. He nice to Buu, and Buu like him. We meet him on Imperia-sei, he come back with us to Chikyuu." clarified Buu.

"Pan? Is that the young man who was sent to the med lab when you got here? You spent all that time with him on that shuttle?" asked Goten.

"Uncle Goten… please!" exclaimed Pan. Now she was blushing.

"She's blushing," said Chichi. "Pan… am I going to be expecting Great grandchildren soon?"

"Oh my god!" exclaimed Videl. "I'm going to be a grandmother? I'm only in my early forties!" She whirled and looked menacingly at Gohan. "This is all your fault." Gohan choked.

"Trunks, Pan's boyfriend," added Buu into the brewing cauldron. Gohan just looked at Pan with a look of sheer bewilderment.

"HE IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND?" shouted Pan at Buu.

"Pan kiss Trunks long time… Buu see. Buu know only boyfriend kiss girlfriend," elaborated Buu. Pan's eyes grew to the size of saucers. She could NOT believe that Buu just said that, especially in front of her parents and her grandparents. Her face was burning crimson and could easily have guided Santa on a foggy night.

"I…I… Buu…" she sputtered. The adults could hardly contain their laughter. They felt awful for Pan, since it was there presence that was embarrassing her, but it was still too funny.

"Pan…" chortled her father. After a moment of getting himself under control he said with all seriousness, "You know its ok that you date right? You are twenty years old. Your mother and I were already really serious by then. I think your grandparents were also. Now are you serious with this young man?" There was reassurance with a bit of warning there. Also the word serious had a certain other connotation to it. Pan knew what he meant, but she did NOT want to think about that, especially about her parents or worse yet, her grandparents.

"NO… we are not SERIOUS and he is NOT my BOYFRIEND," she shouted. "Can we please talk about something else?"

"Well Pan," said her father, "I'm just saying its ok. Its no big deal… even though Hercule kind of made it difficult for me at first."

"Hmm…," responded Mr. Satan. "You were a skinny little runt then. I just wanted the best for my little girl. That's what a father is for you know."

"Yes… and that's why I'm not going to get upset… at least until I meet him," said Gohan. "You are going to introduce us right?"

"Daddddddddddddddddddddd… ok I'll introduce you. That's it. No more talk about this subject," she said. Her voice was hard.

"Make sure you introduce me too," chimed in Goten. Pan was about to blow her top, but Goku forestalled her.

"Pan… a kiss is no big deal… watch," he said as he leaned over and grabbed Chichi and smacked her a big one right on the lips in front of everyone. Chichi's eyes widened for a second and then a wicked gleam appeared. She kissed right back.

Everyone on at the table turned their heads and politely looked elsewhere. Everyone except for Buu, who, to prove his earlier point said, "See… boyfriend girlfriend… just like Pan and Trunks."

Pan gave up. She just smacked her head down on the table, and then resumed eating. She was NOT listening to anymore of this.

* * *

_An hour or two later…_

The family was in good spirits. The whole little tease Pan thing was all in good humor and even she knew it. It helped lighten things up immensely. When everything was cleaned up, Chichi got everyone a few drinks and had them sit down in the living room comfortably. She then decided it was time for full disclosure.

"Goten, and Pan," she said to them as they were chatting amicably with Goku. "I think its time to tell the rest of your family what has been going on with you two. I will not have this family torn apart by secrets and vendetta."

"I want to know what Goten did to my daughter," said Gohan menacingly. His mood deteriorated rapidly.

"Dad… Uncle Goten did nothing to me."

"Obviously he did, since you are not the same person you were before."

"I only let her pick her own path, Gohan. I only helped her when she needed me."

"I'm twenty years old, Dad…"

"You don't know what you want… you are too young," said Gohan cutting her off.

This was an old argument between her and her father. It boggled her mind how he was open minded about her possible relationship with Trunks. Then again it was probably because he hadn't made a decision about that yet. He already knew what to think about her years in space and so now he was demanding her to do what he wanted. She hated it, and now after being on her own for so long it set her off.

"DAD, you don't know anything about me! You just assume that I'm still a child. I've been through more than you EVER have. And I'm PERFECTLY capable of taking care of myself. I DON'T NEED YOU to tell me what I CAN and CANNOT DO," she shouted.

Not expecting resistance from this quarter, Gohan only got angrier. "What have you SEEN? What do you know of adulthood? Until you can back up your claims don't speak back to me."

Pan exploded. "You have no idea DAD… I've seen more death and destruction than you can imagine. People have tried to kill me and I've killed people. I KNOW what its like to live in fear. I KNOW what its like to experience the Saiyan side."

"You've killed people?" whispered Gohan. Pan frowned. Oops, maybe she shouldn't have admitted that.

"This… this is what you've allowed my daughter to do? Become a cold-blooded ruthless killer? Is that what you are Goten? You're like Vegeta now, aren't you? You don't care about life, except yours," he said quietly but so dangerously that everyone in the room could feel the threat behind the words. They could feel Gohan's Saiyan nature begin to take hold. It was something that rarely ever happened. "I trusted you with her…"

Chichi saw Goku moving to stop Gohan before he completely lost it. She stopped him. Sometimes, the best way to heal a wound is to cauterize it in fire. She decided it was probably best to let this play out completely. Videl took the hint also and shut her mouth.

"Gohan… You have to let Pan pick her own path. She isn't like you. She can't put away her Saiyan nature like you. In fact, you shouldn't either. Dad can only do it because of his head injury. I do care about life Gohan, but sometimes life is about choices."

"You let her make the wrong choices!"

"They ARE MY CHOICES TO MAKE!" yelled Pan at her father.

"So you are going to be like Goten? Vegeta? I won't allow that. I won't allow MY daughter to become a cold blooded, and damn heartless killer."

"Gohan you have no clue what you are talking about," said Goten loudly. He was loosing his cool now. He could tolerate his father's naivety to the world. He had the excuse of being hit in the head when he was a kid. Gohan, on the other hand, not only didn't have this excuse, he lived with Videl. She was one of the shrewdest and ruthless politicians on the planet and he STILL lived in some fairytale world.

He realized something then. This whole argument wasn't really about Pan, it was about Gohan's own beliefs and his relation with him, as brothers. He wanted Pan to be like himself, even though it wasn't possible. Pan had seen the real world, the world beyond Chikyuu. She could never be like her father, never fit back into the mold. He was the same way. Goten couldn't understand why his brother was so angry with him or so scared of him. Something had changed in Gohan's perception today of him, and Goten needed to find out what. "This isn't about Pan is it? This is about you and I. What has set you against me? This damn meeting today?"

"You are a heartless bastard, what ever happened to the Goten I knew? The Goten we all knew up until what? TODAY? You've been lying to us all, your family."

"That's right, Goten. I want to know why you've kept this from all of us," added Videl. They had avoided this question earlier. Now she wanted to know. She was as hurt by this lack of trust as much as anyone. "I think that's the biggest issue here."

"Videl… I don't think any of you can understand why I've done what I've done. Even you. I am afraid. Afraid of losing my family," he said simply. He looked around the room and saw that there was little sympathy for him.

"I find that hard to believe, Are you saying that we haven't supported you? Haven't always been there for you when we needed us?" said Videl very coldly. She knew that she had always supported him, always been loyal to him even through this coup today. She and Gohan had always stood by his side when he needed it. When they fought, they always fought in private… just like now. The differences in opinion stayed in the family.

Goten winced at her words. She was right, he never had any reason to doubt that they would not understand. Videl had backed him up to the hilt today. He could see in her eyes that she was angry at his lack of trust—no furious. Still, he couldn't help this fear—it ran deep into the core of his being.

"He's a tyrant… my brother is a damn tyrant. He's gone against ever ideal we hold in this family. He doesn't give a damn anyone else now, not even his family so why wouldn't he use you as he pleases?" Gohan shot venomously.

"Gohan… I… do you really believe that?" asked Goten.

"Yes… In fact I don't know who you are anymore. I don't think you are my brother anymore."

Goten felt his world shudder. The pain on his face was obvious. Ever since he was a young boy he had looked up to his brother. Even as an adult he had always felt closer to his brother than anyone else. Its one of the reasons why he always kept his eye on Pan, not only for her sake, but he never wanted to let his brother down. Now, he could see the near hatred burning in his brother's eyes. It wounded him more deeply than anything had ever before. It struck him at the one place in his being that he had tried to preserve all the goodness that was left in him, where he drew strength from during the darkest of times. It struck his love for his family.

"You are wrong, Gohan. I care. I do care and I always will care," he said softy as he stood up. "I'm sorry Videl for what I did. Gohan, I'm sorry for everything. Mom, Dad… thank you for everything… and I'm sorry too. But sometimes a man has to do what he believes is right, regardless of the cost."

Goten walked across the room to pick up his cloak and capsules. He had known this might happen, and it hurt him deeply. They would never understand. "Pan take care of yourself."

Gohan remained standing as he watched his brother stand up and prepare to leave. He had been furious before, but as he looked upon his brother his anger drained from him. Gone was the man who had walked in holding himself in a regal posture. Something seemed to have died in the man. The strange aura of confidence that had always seemed to be around him was gone. Gohan could feel the difference in Goten. Across the room he could see his daughter weeping openly as she said something to her uncle. For some reason his victory tasted like ash in his mouth. He already regretted his words.

"How many people have you killed Goten… Tell us the truth," asked his father. Goten stopped in his tracks. The question was like adding salt to his wounds. He turned around and faced the rest of his family. They were all expecting an answer, so he gave them it.

"I've killed billions," Goten answered without even flinching. This was the end he knew. No one in his family would ever forgive him this. He somehow drew strength from deep inside himself and stood firm.

There was silence in the room at the admission. The looks of shock and dismay were written on everyone's faces. "Goten… how could you do such a thing?" asked his mother.

Goten just shrugged, "Sometimes its necessary, mom."

"You…. You're like Freiza," said Gohan with shock in his voice.

"Funny you should mention Freiza, Gohan. Every drop of blood on my hands can be traced back to his death."

"What? Don't you dare try to justify your actions by pinning blame on Dad… Dad cares more about life than anyone!"

"Gohan, I'm not blaming Dad," said Goten in a soft voice. "But, who do you think Freiza was? He wasn't just some insane lizard. He was the Emperor of an empire. A thousand worlds were under his rule, and he wasn't purging them. They were the source of his wealth and he KEPT them under control. When dad killed him, that entire empire fell apart. Aliens, who use to live completely peacefully with each other, started killing each other. Freiza had kept them all in line. Yeah, out of fear, but he kept them in line."

The room was quiet. Gohan couldn't help but hear the sadness in his brother's voice and it calmed him down again. Goten looked across the room at his family. _It's now or never_ he thought to himself. They wouldn't understand, but he had to try. He took a deep breath and began to tell them his story.

"When Freiza died… thirty odd years ago, his empire died with him. At least trillions died. Out of a thousand worlds only five hundred are inhabited now… Half the northern galaxy's population has been exterminated. Can you even imagine how many people that is?"

Goten looked across the room to see the horror written on their faces. His father seemed to be very disturbed and his brother equally so.

"I didn't know any of this when I first went into space. I found about all this later. I think you all remember that I went to find Vegeta because I killed that boy when I couldn't control myself. Well, I found him and he took me as his student. We lived peacefully on an alien world. The aliens didn't really bother him, and he didn't bother them. They just gave him food, and sort of saw him as their god-like protector. When Marron and I became his disciples we were accorded the same privileges. We were there for a year before one of the warlords that took control of some Freiza's planets came to ours. You know… Freiza might have been a tyrant. He may have been a brutal creature, but he didn't kill indiscriminately. This warlord did… he bombarded the planet with nukes for NO REASON. No warning. One minute there were cities thriving, and the next minute they were nothing but melted concrete. I watched… I WATCHED as an entire planet was laid to waste and I could do nothing about it. Not one goddamn thing. You don't have a clue what that's like. The people on the planet begged us to save them… but what could we do? We could save a few, but out of how many? Ten thousand out of four billion people survived that holocaust."

The Son family listened in rapt attentiveness. They were part of the story because Goku had been the one to kill Freiza. His actions were the ones that started, and Goten's were the ones that finished the Union Wars. Chichi was almost in tears as she heard the quiet anger, and bitterness in her sons voice. She couldn't imagine what it was like for him to watch all those people die, but she could see that he was deeply wounded by it. She may not have been able to weep for those people, but she did weep for her son.

"I swore a vow then that I would never let that happen again. I would never let a people die for no reason. You know… I was really naïve then. I've learned that it's a lot more complicated then just right or wrong." Goten paused a second and took a breath as the memories came back to him. He could still remember those horrid days vividly.

"Marron and I killed the invaders. They landed for some reason, and none of them lived afterwards. We convinced Vegeta to come with us, to put an end to the killing. I thought I was going to be this righteous warrior setting things right, kind of like dad. Like you and dad both."

Goten gave his family a weak smile. Pan had gotten up and grabbed him a cup of water and placed it next to him. She made him gently sit, and take a sip. She, too, like the rest of her family was hearing this story for the first time. Goten never had divulged his past to her.

"Thanks, Pan. Being a righteous warrior is pretty tough Gohan… let me tell you that. You and dad are lucky you don't have to deal with thousands of scheming factions. You have an idea who your friends are. I didn't have a clue. I had to learn the hard way. You guys had the Dragon Balls. You can screw up and kill thousands, but you can just wish them back. You've done it before. I didn't have such a luxury. The wars were bloody Gohan… I've waded through rivers of blood. I've killed innocents. I've killed people just to set an example for others. I've been tortured, I've watched people I love be tortured, and I've even tortured people myself. I don't have nightmares, Gohan. I have memories."

He leaned his head back for a second against the head of the chair he sat on. He took a deep breath and then said, "But do you know what? When we finished… when we had conquered the remaining planets, we brought order back. We brought an end to the chaos and the worlds started to recover. People began to prosper again, and live lives without fear. I see it all the time when I walk down the streets of Imperial City, Rouen, or any other major city. I see children playing in parks laughing happily and teenagers flirting with each other. I see street hawkers, who don't fear being shot because they are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Things like this make it all worth it. Worth every drop of blood I've shed over the last decade and a half. If I had to do it again, I would. I will not let the Union Wars happen again."

"Goten… Why didn't you just ask us for help? Why spring this surprise on us?" asked Videl.

"Videl… I told you. I was afraid… I was afraid of what you would all think of me if you knew the truth." He gave a pointed look at his brother. "Gohan, you probably think that I should try to find another way, a way without bloodshed. I've tried that, and every time it's caused more death and destruction. There are no miracle cures. You know this from fighting Cell. Happy endings don't exist in reality. At best, you can just hope for bittersweet.

Goten strode to the door while his family still sat in contemplation of his words. "I will do what I must. I can't do otherwise. Good night." With that said, Goten's ki wrapped around him and he flew off into the night sky.

* * *

Author's notes: Height adjustments. DBZ characters in this fiction will be accorded height in Western Standards. 5'8 may be tall in Japan, but that's barely average—even on the short side. Goku is 6'2, Gohan is 6'3, and Goten is 6'1. Videl is 5'6 and Chichi is 5'5 as well. That's in the English standard, not metric! Pan is 5'7, Trunks is 6'1 and ½, just slightly taller than Goten. Vegeta is 5'6 and Bulma is 5'5. I think Bulma is shorter than Chichi. Be nice and play along with me. . Krillan is 5'2 and Eighteen is 5'6. 


	15. Chapter Fifteen: Chit Chat, Whats that?

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 15: Makeup and Breakup?

Author's note: Please be aware of the following. Trunks Vegeta Briefs will be known as, Mirai no Trunks, and T.V. Briefs. Trunks Yamcha Briefs will be referred to as Alternative Trunks, and T.Y. Briefs. This only applies to scenes where they are both present. Otherwise they are both called Trunks, and I'll just put details to clarify, such as the hair color.

_Late that same night…_

Goten landed in a spot he knew from his childhood. It was a lake that his brother and him had gone fishing together in when they were younger. This had always been one of his most treasured spots. He looked over the gentle surfaces of the lake, and then sighed to himself. _You knew this would happen Goten, _he thought to himself. _This is exactly why you never told them anything._ Yet, he couldn't help but feel a strong bitterness against the world at the moment. Why couldn't there be an easy way? Why does anything worthwhile have to be so difficult? Why couldn't his family just see things his way? It had been a long time since he had ever let these thoughts of pity run through his head. Strangely, he found them somewhat comforting at the moment. Perhaps everyone needs to indulge in self-pity once in a while, even the Duke de Sirrus.

He slowly sat down on the shore, and picked up a smooth flat stone. With practiced ease, he threw it and watched it skip across the lakes surface. As he did this, he felt a small sad smile cross his face. His brother had taught him how to skip stones and with that thought, he felt another pang of pain in his chest. The fact that he may have severed himself from his family tore at him. He'd expected to be hurt, but not as much as this. Slowly, he lay back on the beach and looked up at the night sky. Yet, another thing he had done with his brother while their father had been dead. He shook his head and closed his eyes. He wanted to enjoy the feel of Mt. Paotzu, the feel of his home, one more time before he left for space again. He was sure that he would never be coming back.

Goten awoke to the sound of small splashes against the surface of the lake. It was still dark out and the stars still were shining brightly. He sat up, and looked at the figure that stood a few feet in front of him tossing stones into the lake. He knew who it was without even having to check for ki.

"I don't want to fight, Gohan. Especially not here," he said as he stood up and walked up next to his brother.

Gohan didn't say anything at first. He just looked around for another stone. Finding one, he sent it flying across the lake. "I didn't come here to fight," he said after a moment. "I shouldn't have said what I said earlier… I…"

"Don't worry about it, Gohan," said Goten. "I can understand your anger. I should have told you guys all along what I've been doing. It's not right to keep secrets from your loved ones."

"What's done is done. It can't be helped now," said Gohan. "Pan and I had it out after you left. That girl does remind me of her mother and ours."

"Heh… Yes, she does. How did you once describe them? Ah yes, pushy and obstinate. The women in our family are all like that," smirked Goten. His comment elicited a small chuckle from his brother.

"Speaking of women… how about you?" asked Gohan. "I'm sure the mighty Duke has his pick and choice of the lovelies out there."

"There's only ever been one woman for me," said Goten after a moment of silence. Another subject he didn't want to think about. He stared out over the lake letting himself feel the cool westerly breeze that signaled the approach of morning.

"Another touchy subject, huh?"

"Yeah… I just seem full of them. Never realized how messed up my life was until I got back," said Goten. "Out there, you don't have time to think about yourself."

"Well… that's what family's for. No matter how messed up things are, you can always turn to them right?" said Gohan slowly.

Goten turned and looked at Gohan. "Gohan…"

"Like I said… I'm sorry about what I said earlier," continued Gohan. "I… I thought about it for a while. It doesn't matter if you were a cold-blooded murdered, which you aren't. Pan and your story made that clear to me. But, none of that matters though. I just wanted to say that you are my brother and if you need me… then I'm there for you."

Goten didn't say anything in reply. He just closed his eyes and sighed. "Thanks Gohan… You do know that I'm going to need you… That Chikyuu is going to need you?"

"I suspected as much… I'll be there for you. So will Dad. We ok?" asked his brother stretching out his hand in a peace offering.

"Yeah… we're ok," replied Goten as he clasped his brother's hand, gave it a strong shake, and pulled him in for a powerful hug. "We're ok."

The two of them sat quietly after that looking out over the lake. The sun hadn't risen yet, but dawn was approaching. The sky was beginning to light up.

"Pan yell at you hard?" asked Goten after a while.

"Yeah… Talk about role reversal. I swear I was ten years old again and that it was mom yelling at me for sneaking out and training."

"Heh… You've got one hell of a daughter, Gohan. I feel for you."

"You'll have your turn as a parent soon enough. Anyway, every cloud has its silver lining. I told her she's free to whatever she wants. That made her happy, but I did get a concession out of her," said Gohan. The last sentence was an obvious prompt, which Goten picked up.

"What was the concession?" asked Goten as he looked over and saw that there was a sly, evil smile on his brother's face.

"I made her agree to have this 'purple-haired Trunks' meet me for lunch with her tomorrow," chuckled Gohan.

Goten laughed. "Gohan, that is evil. Videl is definitely rubbing off on you."

"Yeah… anyway, how would you like to join us? I'd like your opinion on the guy."

"As the Duke or as Uncle Goten?" asked Goten cautiously.

"How about just the Goten that I hear Pan talk about. The uncle who's both at the same time," replied Gohan.

"Hmm… I understand," said Goten a bit apologetically. It would take him time to stop acting like the person he once was around his family. At least things would be easier, and a lot less stressful. He wouldn't have to watch what he said, or how he acted in some public places. It would be nice to finally be himself. "You know… We are going to embarrass the hell out of her."

"That's right we are. That's another thing family is great for."

"Evil Gohan… Evil. Anyway, we better get some sleep then. I'll drop by your place tomorrow in the late morning. I have to talk with your wife as well."

"See you then Goten. Good night."

"Good night Gohan and thanks."

* * *

_A hotel in Satan City…_

Trunks woke up groggily. The curtains were open and sunlight was violently stabbing his eyes. He had gone out the night before to a very exclusive nightclub, and had drunk a little too much. Now his cell phone was ringing, and that did not make his hangover any better. He flung his blankets off and reached over into his pant pockets. He grabbed his phone and checked the caller id. He recognized the number, and knew that he had to take the call.

"Hey… let that ring… Trunks," purred a soft female voice. A soft hand ran down his back.

Trunks whirled around and looked on the form of a naked woman. He couldn't exactly remember her name. Charlene? Charlotte? Carrie? Christine? He didn't know and didn't care.

"Get out," he said harshly.

"What?" came the response.

"I said get out. Do it now."

"But… what do you mean get out? I spen-"

"Are you fucking deaf? I said get the fuck out." His eyes lit up with anger and the woman wasn't stupid. Furious, but not stupid. She quickly grabbed her clothes and without even getting completely dressed she ran out of the room.

Trunks ran his hand through his black hair. He had missed the call because of her, and that would not look good. "Stupid bitch," he said irritably to himself.

He went and brushed his teeth to get that foul morning taste out of his mouth. He quickly ordered breakfast as well, and then grabbed his phone. He then dialed the number that had called earlier.

"Good morning," said an elderly masculine voice.

"Prime Minister Whittlesby, this is Trunks Briefs. I apologize for missing your call, I was rudely interrupted from answering the phone."

"That's quite alright Mr. Briefs," said the Prime Minister. He did not elaborate any further.

"Uhh…" said Trunks. "What do you need, sir?"

"You did an excellent job of providing transportation, Mr. Briefs. Our allies are on their way as we speak. What I need you to do is to get all the Son family together in one place in two days time. Can you do this?" asked the Prime Minister.

"Not a problem. I'll invite them all over for a little party. I'm sure they will agree."

"Very good, Mr. Briefs. I'll see to it that you are rewarded properly. Good Day."

Trunks smiled to himself when he heard the phone click. It would be a piece of cake to get the Sons to Capsule Corps. He'd either ask his mother or Marron to send out invitations for a small pre-wedding party or something on that order.

* * *

_Same morning… Same hotel even…_

Trunks hopped out of the shower when he heard his communicator beep. One of the officers on the ship he had been treated at for malnutrition had given him the device on the orders of some higher ups. Trunks quickly wrapped a towel around his waist and moved with super speed to where he had left the device.

"Hello?" he said into the device as he activated it.

"Hey Trunks, its Pan," said the voice from the other side. She sounded tired, and a bit nervous.

"Good morning there… How'd everything go last night?" he asked. By the sound of her voice things may not have gone so well.

"I'll tell you at breakfast… thirty minutes?"

"Hmm… Yeah I can make it in thirty minutes. Where do you want to meet?"

"Where are you staying?" she asked.

"At the Crown Royal," he answered.

"Wow… blowing some of that gem money I see. Well there is that nice buffet in the hotel, but I'd rather go someplace else. How about I just meet you there in thirty and I'll take us to a more secluded place. You CAN fly right?"

"Yes, I can. A secluded place, Panny? You have any plans?" he said teasingly. There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment.

"We have to talk about that, Trunks. Meet me in thirty ok?" she said in a serious note.

"Uh… Ok Pan. I'll see you in thirty," he replied before hanging up. He didn't like the ominous sounding tone in her voice. He didn't have time to fret about it though. There were a few errands he had to run quickly. He quickly got dressed and left the room.

Two minutes later he entered the hotel buffet and began chowing down. Food from the hotel began disappearing left and right. Every egg benedict, omelet, pancake, French toast, and bagel went to gorge Trunks' monstrous appetite. Twenty minutes later he paid the fifteen-zeni bill, but he left an enormous five hundred-credit tip. Imperial credits were worth about ten Zeni apiece, so there was one happy waiter.

Trunks stepped out into the lobby and quickly got into the reception line. He had a few minutes before Pan would get there, and he could keep an eye out for her from where he was anyway. Just before it was his turn, a man his height cut in front of him and went straight up to the counter. Trunks was not about to put up with that. He was in a hurry, not to mention the fact that no one cut in front of Trunks Vegeta Briefs. There were certain things that were definitely genetic. Trunks walked up to the counter and smiled at the receptionist. It was a devastating smile.

"Ma'am, I think I was next… I'm in a hurry so could you please extend my room for one more week. It's Suite 2506," he said very politely, but at the same time with a strong emphasis that there would be consequences.

The poor receptionist gulped. She knew who the man who had cut in front was, but the other man was definitely in the right. She was in a bit of a quandary.

"Say… look here, kid," said Trunks Yamcha Briefs to the upstart purple haired kid that dared question his actions. "Do you know who I am?"

"I don't care who you are… Take your place at the back of the line," snapped Vegeta Briefs. He didn't want a scene or a confrontation, but he wasn't going to back down from some egotistical idiot.

"Wha? How dare… you speak to me like that?" sputtered Yamcha Briefs. "I'll have you arrested."

Trunks didn't say a word. He just grabbed his alternative counterpart and picked him up. Walking to the back of the line he dropped him there.

"Stay there," he growled menacingly. It wasn't T.Y. Briefs' style to fight people straight on. He simply glared at T.V. Briefs. If looks could kill then T.V. Briefs would have been one dead man. After an appropriate time of glaring, Yamcha Briefs finally whirled and stalked out.

Mirai no Trunks didn't even notice that his counterpart left. He simply went back to the counter and secured his room. Afterwards he waited for Pan to show up.

Pan didn't arrive until about twenty minutes later. She scanned the room for Trunks' ki and found him within seconds of her arrival.

"Hey there. Sorry I'm late but I ran into an old friend on my way in. I promised him we'd catch up later since I was in a hurry," she explained. Pan didn't want to mention who it was mainly because she didn't want to explain that she had once had a crush on the man. She was over that, and some things were unnecessary to mention.

"No problem. So… where are we going to eat?"

"Since you took me to that splendid restaurant on the liner, I'm going to take you to someplace equally nice. There's this beautiful place on the continent, Chateau Bordeux. I got us some reservations for 10:00 there. How fast can you fly?" she asked.

"Oh… I can keep up with you. Don't worry about it," he said cryptically.

"We'll see," she smirked. He was so damn cocky sometimes. She was going to have to leave him behind just to make him pay for his comment. "Ok, let's go."

The two of them walked outside of the hotel, and then walked out back. Pan powered up and blasted off into the air. Trunks followed suit.

The restaurant was almost a thousand miles away, and they had to make it in an hour. That meant that they had to fly 16.7 miles a minute or well over the speed of sound. Pan could easily accomplish that; in fact she could make it in less than a quarter of the time. She knew that Trunks could fly, and she knew that Buu had estimated his power at 20,000. This was a substantial amount, and she figured that he was probably twice, maybe three times as fast as her mother. An hour would be plenty of time so long as he had the endurance. Pan grinned to herself as she looked over her shoulder to see that he was right behind her. She decided that it was time to see if he could back up his words. With a powerful surge of ki, she blasted ahead.

Trunks knew that Pan was testing him. She had agreed that she wouldn't grill him about his past until they had found his mother. That didn't mean that she wasn't trying to find out things about him. He enjoyed the game though. It showed the subtlety of her mind and made her all the more attractive to him. He smirked to himself. _She's powerful… but unless she goes Super, if she CAN go Super, there is no way she can leave me behind._ He, too, summoned more ki and blasted ahead to stay right behind her.

Twenty-two minutes later they set down in a small exclusive town on the continent. Pan had put a lot of ki into her speed. She was even breathing deeply from the exertion. When Trunks landed, she frowned. _The man isn't even winded_, she thought to herself. "Trunks… how are you NOT be tired at all? There is no way any human can keep up with me. _Well Krillan and the Androids could but that didn't need to be mentioned at the moment._"

"First time for everything right?" he said nonchalantly with a smile.

Pan looked him in the eye with a seriousness that he hadn't seen before. "That's part of what I wanted to talk to you about today. Lets see if we can get a table early."

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"Woman," said Vegeta gruffly. "Come here."

"What is it, Vegeta?" asked Bulma as she sidled up next to him in the control room.

"We just come out at the edge of the Sol system right behind Neptune. Kakkarot's brat has the system picketed to hell and back. We need to make it to Chikyuu without detection. Can you do this?"

"I don't know, Vegeta," said Bulma as she looked at the screen. There were hundreds of little blue dots that symbolized where various ships of Sixth fleet were. "Are you sure they don't know we are here already?"

"If they did they'd be hunting us down already."

"Vegeta, why do we need to hide?" asked Bulma. From what she was able to garner from Vegeta, she knew that he actually cared a bit about this Goten. She didn't understand why he was determined to get unnoticed into Chikyuu.

"I need to be certain of his loyalties," he said unconvincinly. He then relented and told the truth. "I need this collar off first. I refuse to meet Kakkarot with this infernal device on. I plan to crush him like the third-class he is."

Bulma just shook her head. "It's been thirty years for you. You are an Emperor, and have a bazillion other problems… and you still want to beat Goku?"

"Yes."

"You are one complicated bastard you know that?" she said in bewilderment.

"You wouldn't have it any other way." Vegeta moved closer to her as he said this. He slowly came up behind her and nuzzled her neck.

Bulma let a contented sigh. When she realized that she had a ton of work to do she stiffened. "Out!"

"What Woman?"

"If you want me to do this, there is no way I can do this with you in here doing this. We'll… We'll end up doing that OTHER thing."

"Hmmph… we can have some play prior," started Vegeta.

"No. I need to be at my best. Go cook me something or keep yourself busy somehow. I need a few hours to plot this course," said Bulma firmly.

"Am I a servant to be dismissed as such?" said Vegeta darkly.

"Yes… but I'm sure this servant will very much enjoy his rewards for a good cooked meal. I'm sure I'll be very grateful," said Bulma in an offhanded manner. She was almost not paying any attention to him. Already, she had brought up the orbits and positions of all Goten's ships and running complex algorithms to see if there was anyway that she could slip through.

Vegeta didn't say anything. However, he didn't leave. Rather he studied her carefully as she worked. Her concentration was intense; it was as if he didn't exist. She was wrong about her not being able to concentrate if he was here. She was doing it just fine. In fact, she reminded him of himself whenever he trained. After watching her for another ten minutes, he turned around and left.

A few hours later, Bulma was snapped out of her concentration by a smack on the head.

"Ow, what the hell are you doing?" she said with a scowl on her face.

"You were not paying attention to me, Woman. I expect you to answer me when I speak," said Vegeta as he placed a dish in front of her. The aroma was intoxicating.

"My god, this smells wonderful," she said as she took a bite. He was forgiven the instant the rich tangy taste hit her tongue. "mmm… this is heavenly. You are a man of many talents, Vegeta…"

"I am the Emperor. I do everything well."

"From the Prince of all Saiyans, to the Emperor," laughed Bulma. "You still say it with the exact same tone. Some things just don't change."

"hmmmph… How have your calculations come along, woman?" asked Vegeta.

"Good… I just have to figure out how to get through the last batch he has around Chikyuu… Another twenty minutes or so," she said while taking another bite. She was famished. She hadn't eaten since early that morning and in her single-minded determination to complete her task, she had totally not paid any attention to her bodies need.

"When can we expect to arrive on Chikyuu?"

"Tomorrow afternoon at latest," replied Bulma. "I need to do something before we go to Capsule Corporation though. I need to drop a letter off for the Guardsman that died saving your life."

Bulma didn't see Vegeta wince; she felt it. It was a strange feeling, and she didn't know where it came from. It was as if she could somehow see his emotions even if they didn't show outwardly.

"Fine. Afterwards you will get this collar off of me," he stated.

"If I can Vegeta… If I can."

* * *

_Elsewhere on Chikyuu…_

"This is very nice," said Trunks as he looked around the small but exquisite restaurant. The establishment that they were in was decorated in a very colonial manner. "So what's the big event?"

"No event," she replied casually as she sat down in front of him. She had brought him out to this restaurant for privacy as well. This was a place where many high-ranking officials and businessmen met and part of the restaurants service was privacy. She pressed a button that would signal to the staff that they wanted service. "I just wanted to take you out for the day. Maybe spend some time together, just the two of us."

"I think I'd like that," he replied. "So what do you have planned?"

"Nothing much… just this breakfast. Maybe a hike through the woods and then we'll see. I just wanted to talk to you about some things," she said a bit warily. She had promised to bring him to her father and uncle. They were going to meet them for a late lunch at one of her father's regular haunts. Anyway, she had decided it was time to tell him about her heritage. There was no point in taking the step of introducing him to her family if he was going to bolt the moment he found out she was a quarter alien.

Before she could start, a sharply dressed waiter came over and asked if they were ready to order. Pan quickly ordered for the two of them and shooed him off.

"Pan… you seem to be a little tense. Are you ok?" asked Trunks with concern in his voice. He was a bit worried, as well, about this talk she wanted to have.

"Trunks…" Pan began slowly. "There are a few things I need to tell you about me. I'm not what you think I am. I'm not even completely human."

She took a breath and glanced at his face. Seeing his shocked expression, her face fell sadly. She was madly in love with Trunks. She had no idea what caused it, but every fiber of her being was screaming for him. Yet, the look on his face was like the shock of so many of her boyfriends in the past when they had witnessed her super human strength. Fear of rejection shot up into her eyes, and her normally well-schooled composure faltered.

She didn't know Trunks' surprise was not due to her revelation of not being human. He already knew that and since he wasn't exactly pureblooded human either, it didn't bother him at all. What took him by surprise was the fact that Pan had revealed this to him. His own Saiyan nature was a closely guarded secret. He knew that in his dimension and in the other dimension that both his family and the Son's kept their heritage to themselves. Surely it was the same here. Pan telling him their most secret of secrets meant that she must have deeper feelings for him then he ever imagined. He was inwardly reveling in the fact. However, he kept that from showing on his face.

Trunks felt or perhaps smelled her fear. He didn't know why she was so afraid that he wouldn't understand. Perhaps it was something in her past. He quickly tried to reassure her that he didn't care if she wasn't wholly human. "Pan… I'm sorry. I wasn't shocked because you aren't completely human. I was shocked because you would confide such a thing in me. I already know you are part Saiyan," he said reassuringly.

Her reaction wasn't quite what he expected. He had thought that his words would bring her some comfort and that she could go on with what she had to say; that they would help her collect herself. In a way they did, just in not in the manner that Trunks expected. Her eyes widened for a second, then narrowed. They went from soft and vulnerable to hard and threatening in less than a second. Her entire manner changed completely. One moment Trunks felt comfortable around her, and the next he felt his skin crawling. He had been in enough battles to know that it was his instincts warning him of a dangerous threat nearby.

"How do you know I'm a Saiyan?" she asked quietly. _What the hell! How does he know so much about me already? It's as if he knows all my family secrets._ She had been feeling vulnerable before and now she had flipped right back to being shocked and suspicious. Trunks just wouldn't let her pin him down, there was this mystery around him and he just seemed to know much more than he should. It was infuriating.

_Ooops, _thought Trunks. She hadn't confided that particular little fact to him yet, and he knew that the exact race that his and Goku's family belonged to. "Well, I've seen a video clip of your uncle and he has a brown furry tail wrapped around his waist—Saiyan's have tails like that. So I guessed," he lied. He glanced down at the table so she couldn't look him in the eyes.

"You didn't guess, Trunks. You knew. I know you well enough to know that you already knew. You aren't a good liar, you might be passable at hiding the truth but you aren't a good liar."

"Pan… I will," Trunks tried to explain before he was cut off.

"Tell me when we find your mother? Trunks you will tell me this now… this isn't between you and I… This is something people are terminated for. I want to know how you know I am a Saiyan. Tell me."

"Why is it such a big deal that I know? It's not like no one knows about Saiyans," said Trunks exasperated. "Explain this stuff to me and I'll tell you what I can."

"Why can't you tell me about you?" she countered heatedly. "What's so important about you and your mother that you can't tell disclose this oh so secret information to me?"

"Pan, I want to and I would if it was just about me. But just like you said, the truth about me affects more than just me. It affects my mother, and probably would affect your whole universe."

"You can't confide in me?" she asked bitterly.

"I know you too, Son Pan. If I told you something that might harm your family and the Imperium, would you keep it to yourself? Would you—just for the sake of the trust of some guy—endanger them? Of course you wouldn't, and if you would then you aren't the person I thought you were," he explained. His words were heated and said with a conviction that she hadn't heard before. "You must think I like trying to poison my relationship with the woman I'm falling in love with." _Oops again._ He had not meant to say the L word.

Silence. Pan had heard his admission and a surge of triumph flittered through her as she knew that her feelings for him were returned. But he was right; these secrets would poison their relationship.

"So how are we going to make this work, because damn you Trunks, I think I'm already in love with you."

Silence again. This time it was Trunks that felt light headed. He had to make this work. "Ok, how about we compromise then. Answer me why me knowing that you are a Saiyan is such a big deal and I'll tell you everything I know about Saiyans and how."

"For you to know that we are Saiyans means that you have done some serious checking up on our backgrounds. This means that you have to have some connections… not just some random Chikyuu-jin that I just happened to meet at a bar," answered Pan.

"But, your uncle has a tail… I mean that's a dead give away that he's a Saiyan," boggled Trunks.

"Five out of six species have tails, Trunks… some even have furry ones as well."

Pan looked at Trunks for a moment. His knowledge was absolutely bizarre. He seemed to know some of her family's most hidden secrets, but at the same time he didn't seem to know anything about the greater universe. Was he just absolutely naïve? Or was he very clever? She had to go with naïve.

"Trunks, barely anyone out there even remembers that Saiyans exist, most of them that did were wiped out in the thirty years of war that followed after Freeza died," she said slowly settling down. "Ok, lets figure this thing out. Tell me what you know about Saiyans and how you know about them."

"My father knew quite a bit about them," he answered truthfully. "He told me that they were one of the greatest warrior races out there. How can such a race be unknown and even if they were wiped out how can they be forgotten, Pan?"

Pan blinked her eyes. _He truly believes that,_ she thought to herself. "Trunks… I hate to tell you this, but your father must have been delusional."

"What?" Trunks gasped in disbelief.

"Trunks… the Saiyans were third rate nobodies. The only time they were worth a damn was when they went Oozaru. You know what Oozaru is?"

Trunks just nodded. "Yeah that's when they change into giant apes. It increases their power by approximately 10 times."

"Yes, exactly. Your father told you all this?" asked Pan again.

"Yes. Now… can you explain what you mean that they were third-rate nobodies? If I'm going to be told my father was wrong then I want to know the truth."

"Ok… Let me see how to explain this. Since you know so much about Saiyans and you are from Chikyuu then I assume you know mostly about Chikyuu's relationship with Saiyans right? You know that the alien invaders that first visited Chikyuu like forty or fifty years ago were Saiyans right?"

"Yes. Nappa, and m… er Vegeta," supplied Trunks.

"I am definitely going to want to know how you know that."

"My mother told me," he said with a disarming smile.

"Hmmph. Anyway, Nappa was a Saiyan elite with a power level of about 4,000. Vegeta was the most powerful Saiyan of his generation. He was their Prince and he only had a power level of like 18,000. His special attacks were a bit more powerful, but still overall he was very weak compared to the vast majority of fighters out there. At this moment right now, I know there are over fifty thousand fighters out there with power levels of twenty thousand and higher. So… when the very best Saiyan only breaks out at below average it tells you something. Hell, you have a higher power level."

"Pan. Didn't the Saiyans travel in space and do purges? Weren't they feared?"

"Not particularly. Perhaps in the dim reaches of antiquity. There are the legends of the Super Saiyans and their rampage across the galaxy. However, in the last two hundred years or so there are almost no records of Saiyan travel. The only records are during Freeza's time. From what I know, Saiyans weren't even traveling in space until they defeated their planetary rivals the tsufuru-jin and that was less than a century ago. Trunks, there are thousands of alien species out there who have traveled the stars for far longer. The Saiyans are just a minor blip in history."

Trunks sat quietly. He had always thought that Saiyans were an incredible warrior race that was feared throughout the universe. It seemed that in this dimension he was wrong. As he mulled over what Pan said the waiter brought over their food. He used this as an excuse to stay quiet for a little bit longer.

"Pan… why did Freeza exterminate the Saiyans then?" he asked as he finally began to dig into his food.

Pan was thoughtful for a minute. "He used them to purge planets in their locality. When things began to get slightly out of hand he got rid of them."

"I see… It wasn't because he was afraid of them? I thought he got rid of them because he feared one day that they would be able to challenge him."

"Trunks… Again, the most powerful Saiyan in a thousand years was Vegeta. He had a power level of 18,000 versus Freeza's estimated level of twelve million. I hardly think that Freeza was afraid."

"A Saiyan killed Freeza in the end though, Pan. It seemed like his fears were justified."

"Look, I guess it's possible that the old lizard killed us off because of our potential. Most species produce only a few great ki-fighters, but most of them were really strong, like Ginyu at 100,000, Zarbon at 50,000 or even Krillan who's pushing a million. There are a lot of them but not one single race was producing ki fighters like the Saiyans and if we went Oozaru, then half our planetary population were a match for the most powerful of all the races out there. I mean Nappa as an Oozaru was more powerful than Zarbon. Enough ants can bring down a panther so I think Freiza might have been getting worried about that."

"Trunks… do you know what a Tokage-jin is?"

"Uhh… No," he answered. "Why do you ask?"

Pan ignored his question. "How about the Rongy Alak?"

"Never heard of them."

"Aldersin-jin? Huan-jin? Mailloche-jin? The Sobaki?"

"Never heard of any of them. Why?"

"Trunks. Those were some of the major players in the Union wars and some of the most populous peoples in the Imperium today. How can you know about Saiyans and not about them?" Pan was baffled. Trunks seemed to know an enormous amount about Saiyans and things that seemed to pertain to her and her family. Yet, he knew nothing about the universe in general. It made him a complete enigma.

"I know a lot because my mother's family had a lot of dealings with them." Seeing the look of suspicion cross Pan's face again, Trunks quickly tried to change the subject. "Pan… please. If I tell you now you won't believe it."

"Try me, Trunks."

"I'm from another dimension," said Trunks flatly and with all sincerity.

Pan blinked with disbelief. She didn't really know what to say. He was right; she didn't believe him. She could tell he was sincere or trying to be, but the thought was completely outrageous.

"See? I told you, you wouldn't believe me."

"Trunks… I…"

"You don't believe me… don't try to convince yourself of anything else. I'm not offended at all Pan. I wouldn't believe me either. That's why I keep telling you to meet my mother. Once you see her it'll all come into place."

"Who's your mother?"

"Bulma Briefs."

"WHAT?" sputtered Pan. Every face in the restaurant turned in their direction. Pan looked around embarrassed and then quietly said, "What do you mean your mother is Bulma Briefs? That is utterly impossible."

Trunks just smiled. "I promise you everything will become clearer as soon as we find her."

"Trunks. How can Bulma Briefs be on my ship, and at Capsule Corporation at the same time?" asked Pan as she tossed a credit chip on the table. She slowly got up and hurried Trunks out the door. She floated up in the air, and waited for him to join her.

"Pan. When we find my mother I will tell you everything. Do you want me to sign this in blood?"

"No that's ok… Anyway your mother will be here soon. I can wait."

"What do you mean my mother will be here soon? How do you know that, Pan?"

"Didn't I tell you that Buu can find my ship anywhere? I talked to him a few days ago and he told me that the ship was headed here. She'll be here any day now."

Trunks just looked at her for a second. The next, Pan found him pressed up against her and planting a full kiss on her lips.

"That is great news, Pan! I can't tell you how much I've been worried."

"Well Trunks, I've got some other news. I was going to tell you at breakfast but we got side tracked," she said breathlessly. _Did he just kiss me again?_ _Ohhhh… I think he did. _"We have to meet my father for lunch today. He wants to meet you."

Trunks' celebration broke off in mid swing. "What? We have to meet Gohan?" he asked with more than a little trepidation.

"Yeah… I promised him that he gets to meet you. I figured we might as well get it out of the way."

Trunks gulped and then got a hold of himself. _Why should I be afraid? Gohan was a great kid, and he was a great Sensei,_ he thought to himself. However, another voice sounded in his head. A more practical, more evil voice. _That's because you weren't trying to ball his daughter._ Trunks shook the thought off. He had been the most honorable gentleman, just as his mother had taught him. He was sure things would be ok… well he hoped.


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Meetin' the folks

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 16: Meeting the Folks

_A few hours after breakfast…_

Gohan and Goten sat at a table in a relatively plain restaurant. It was a place that Gohan and Videl had found during their college years together when they were 'roughing' it out financially. It had the most excellent food, but the atmosphere wasn't at all in the class of one of the ritzy places they often went to nowadays.

"I'm seriously curious about this boy. I've never heard anything about Panny being remotely interested in a guy," said Goten to his brother.

"Yeah, I am too. Though, I'm a bit worried about her. I can remember her coming home countless of times being heartbroken by boyfriends dumping her. She wasn't at all serious about those boys at all. I guess we can always lynch the guy if he does anything wrong."

Goten just laughed. "True, but try not to scare the guy off."

"Me scare the guy off, Goten? You are the legendary Duke. I'm just a simple scholar. If he's going to be intimidated it's going to be by you."

Goten was about to retort but stopped short when he saw Pan walk into the restaurant arm in arm with a young man. He took one look at the boy and remarked to his brother, "Holy Dende, Gohan. Look at that pretty boy. I didn't know Pan went for that look."

"Me neither, Goten," responded his brother as he looked at Trunks from across the restaurant. Trunks was wearing brown khakis, and very preppy jacket and tie. His long purple hair hung down slightly past his shoulder giving him a slightly feminine look. He had, after all, inherited most of his looks from his mother.

The two of them spotted Gohan and Goten. Pan's shock at seeing her uncle there with her father was noted by both of them, causing the two of them to grin happy Son grins in amusement. As the young couple got closer Goten noticed that Trunks had somewhat of a 'tough guy' look about him. Trunks walked with the practiced grace of a warrior. Gohan noticed it as well.

"I hope this guy isn't one of those new age eastern kung fu wannabes."

"Man… those guys are still in vogue? I thought that would be dead by now. I almost nearly died from laughter when that punk kid told me how he used his Tai Chi skills to fight off five opponents simultaneously," replied Goten.

"I see it all the time at Pop Satan's dojo," laughed Gohan.

"Well your buds with Dende… So I bet he'll turn out alright," said Goten. His obvious lack of faith was appalling.

"Lets hope so… Lets hope so," said Gohan as he rose to greet the all too good-looking young man with his daughter.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Son, and Lord Sirrus. I'm Trunks," greeted Trunks as he shook the hands of both the two older Son men. He couldn't believe that Gohan had grown up so much. The last time he had seen Gohan was when Gohan was a little squirt, albeit a powerful little squirt. Now Gohan was a fully-grown man in his mid-forties, and the father of soon to be official girlfriend.

"Well I'm happy to meet you. You know my little girl is very precious to me," said Gohan.

"Daddy! I'm over twenty years old. I'm not a little girl anymore," scolded Pan.

"I didn't think it would be any other way, Mr. Son," responded Trunks with a little smirk. He had been nervous coming with Pan to meet her father. Surely, like any other parent, he would ask questions about Trunks' background that he couldn't answer. Any form of evasion on his part would undoubtedly lead to a bad repertoire with Gohan, and Goten as well. Trunks did not want that. He had to tread carefully with the two Son men.

"So Trunks, how'd you and Pan meet?" asked Goten in a conversational tone. The opening shot had been fired. Even such a simple question for Trunks was a walk through a mind field.

"We met by chance at an old bar on Imperia-sei," he answered truthfully.

"Trunks helped me get off of Imperia-sei without any suspicion. He was really helpful uncle," interjected Pan. She could sense her uncle wanted to find out about Trunks' past. However, she didn't want Trunks to be put in a compromising position. So, she ended up sticking up for him.

"Where are you from? Originally," asked her father.

"West Capitol. I was born there and lived most of my life on Chikyuu."

"So why were you on Imperia-sei? Not many people from Chikyuu go there. Only a small ex-pat community there," asked Goten.

"My mother was in an accident, and she was sent there. I went there looking for her, but I ended up missing her. She's on her way back here, and I guess she'll be here in a day or two. I'm really anxious at her well being," he answered. Every word he just said was true. How Goten and Gohan took their meaning was not his fault. Trunks was quite glad that he had inherited some of his father's cunning, not to mention his mother's smooth negotiation skills.

"Ahh… my condolences. I hope she's alright," said Gohan. Goten on the other hand just looked at Trunks.

_Trunks… you idiot!_ Thought Pan. She knew her father would buy pretty much whatever Trunks said, but by dodging that last question he had just challenged her uncle outright. Question evasion was not something the Duke de Sirrus tolerated. Ever. Her uncle could sniff out when people were telling half-truths two hundred and three miles away. Fifteen years of hard politicking and warfare did that to a man. She could only hold her breath for what was to come. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, it came from a direction that she didn't expect.

Trunks knew that Goten hadn't bought what he had said. He could see it in the man's eyes and demeanor. Even though Goten's face was a perfect mask and his emotions were undoubtedly well under control, Trunks knew instinctively that Goten was gearing up to unleash a question that would probably blow everything wide open. Time was running out and he needed to do something drastic or face the music. There was only one thing he could do, and so he did it.

"You know, when I heard that you were Pan's father, Mr. Son, I couldn't believe it. In fact, to be honest, I was quite intimidated in meeting you. It's not everyday someone gets to meet the man that defeated Cell."

Silence struck the table like a tsunami wave. Gohan and Goten immediately turned their eyes to Pan.

"He already knew," she said simply with a shrug of her shoulders.

"What made you think that Mr. Satan didn't defeat Cell?" asked Goten. It wasn't everyday that someone figured out that Mr. Satan had stolen the credit for killing Cell. Moreover, if this guy knew and hadn't made a big stink about it then there was certainly more than met the naked eye. Goten was curious.

"Lord Sirrus. It is obvious for anyone who has any real training in ki combat. Anyone who has met Mr. Satan knows that he has no significant Ki at all," answered Trunks. He knew couldn't let Goten get a chance to pick him apart. He had to go on with his explanation and then move to phase two of his plan. "Please allow me to explain how I know."

Gohan nodded his approval and Trunks quickly took the initiative to start speaking again before Goten could open his mouth. "Like I said… anyone with any ki training knows that Mr. Satan could not have possibly defeated Cell. This leaves the other fighters who were using Ki. If I remember correctly, Son Goku fought Cell but forfeited letting his son take his place. The cameras went out then, and then later when they came back on Cell was dead and Mr. Satan took the credit. It really was obvious."

"Well… I'm not admitting anything," said Gohan carefully.

"I don't expect you too. Though… I did have a few questions like if you knew who fought the androids and what happened afterwards and how many androids were there? " Trunks intentionally left the questions a little vague since there were certain to be discrepancies between the last timeline he had visited and this one. He was very curious about what happened to his father.

"How does he know that they were androids?" asked Goten to Pan, completely ignoring Trunks. Listening to Trunks' hurried explanation, he figured that Trunks didn't want to embarrass himself in front of Pan and that was fine. He could understand that, so long as Pan knew the truth about the boy it didn't matter. He trusted her. Anyway, he had already figured out the boy's biggest secret. He'd have to double check of course but it would all be clear within a day or so.

"I have no idea?" asked Pan. Her words were dripping with sarcasm. Turning to Trunks, she asked, "How do you know about the androids? Your mother tell you about them too?"

"No, I know all about them from being up close and personal," stated Trunks flatly. His eyes took on a haunted look. "I realized then that they were intricately related to Cell, and I'm really curious as how it all fit together. My understanding is imperfect… and sorry this is just such a great chance for me to figure everything out."

"I see… Well, it's quite a long story. Do you want to hear it?" asked Gohan.

Trunks grinned. "I most certainly do."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Goten smile and then lean back in his chair. He seemed to have avoided the collision for now. Right before Gohan started the story, the waiter brought them a their food. Gohan gestured for them to all start. "Well, my father defeated the original set of Androids. There were two of them, 19 and 20, Dr. Gero. My dad defeated 19 and chased off twenty. Unfortunately he suffered a heart attack and that allowed Dr. Gero to escape."

"Wait… are you telling me there was a heart attack, not a heart virus?"

"It was just a regular heart attack. My dad was out of action for a little while, but he ended up just fine. Anyway, apparently Dr. Gero went to unleash Eighteen and Seventeen on us, but they ended up turning on him and killing him. They released Sixteen and begun to hunt for my father. They were so powerful that none of us could stop them until Piccolo went and fused with Kami. Once he did that he was able to stall them a bit. I think things would have been fine except that Cell showed up." Gohan stopped for a minute and took a bite of his food before continuing. "Cell managed to absorb Seventeen, but Eighteen and Sixteen managed to escape, barely. They made it off the islands and onto the continent. It's a big place out there and Cell was at a loss as to how to find them. Meanwhile, my dad and I were training so that we could get the power to defeat the Androids and Cell."

Trunks took another bite of food as he sat listening to Gohan's story. It was entirely different from the timeline that he had fought Cell in. It was probably due to the fact that neither him, nor his father had been there. One question tickled his mind though. Exactly how did Cell get to this timeline if he hadn't come back. He decided that he'd have to ponder that later. He turned his attention back to Gohan.

"Eventually, Cell got tired of looking for the two androids and he set up the Cell games. He demanded that the world help find the Androids or he'd destroy everyone. That's when my dad and I went to fight him. We'd only tried for about half the time we thought necessary but we had to act or it might have been too late. Anyway, the rest of the story was pretty much captured on TV. My dad wasn't strong enough to beat him so he had me fight Cell. He had a lot of faith in me, and I really wish that it had been well placed."

There was a bit of a sad look on Gohan's face. Trunks knew the reason why though. Gohan still blamed himself for his father's death. Apparently that had happened in this timeline as well.

"Well, Mr. Son, you did defeat the monster. I have another question though. Did Cell ever reach his perfect form?"

"Oh… Thank Dende no. I don't know if anyone would have had the power to defeat him if he did. Eighteen was smart enough to stay away from the Cell games."

"Yah, he'd have been tough to stop then," mused Trunks thinking back on his own battles with Perfect Cell. "That really is some story, Mr. Son and wow… that was a heck of a meal. This place was fantastic Mr. Son."

"Oh… yeah. Pan's mother and I love this place. I'm glad you like it," said Gohan, "So what do you do for-".

"Daddy. I hate to interrupt but Trunks and I have to get going. Thanks for the meal." Pan stood up and dragged Trunks up by the arm. She knew she was bailing him out, but it was for the best.

"Oh… where are you guys going, Pan?" asked her father.

"We're going to catch the premier of the Attack of the Simulacrums. We'll see you later."

"Well… have fun Pan… and it was a pleasure to meet you Trunks," said Gohan as the young couple got ready to leave.

"It was a pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Son and Lord Sirrus."

"Please call me Gohan. There's no need to be so formal," said Gohan shaking Trunks' hand.

Goten just looked up at Trunks with an all too knowing smile. "Yes… Enjoy the movie you two. We'll meet again soon." And as the two were walking out, "Be careful! I think it's the right time of the month for a full moon. All types of strange things happen on those days."

He smirked as he watched Trunks stiffen for a second. It was all too easy. He flashed another smile and gave the young couple a wave as they walked out.

"Not bad. He wasn't what I expected, thank Dende," said Gohan to his brother. "I can't believe the little green guy actually came through for me."

Goten didn't say anything. He just motioned for the waiter to come over. "Can we get about fifty more orders of what we had?" he asked.

"I was wondering what was wrong with you guys today, " he said with a grin. He regularly served the Sons, and had made a fortune in tips. In fact he probably was the world's richest waiter. He waved over to some servers and they started bringing out a ton of food. "We prepared ahead of time for you guys. Had us a bit worried for a second."

"Sorry to worry you, but we didn't want to scare Pan's new boyfriend off," explained Gohan as the food was brought.

"No problem Mr. Son. You are always welcome here. Enjoy," said the waiter as he walked off.

"Well… what do you think?" asked Gohan as he began to eat.

"He's crafty. I'll give him that. We have to figure out exactly what he's hiding though. I think it's really important," replied his brother as he began to dive into his food.

"Hmm… wike wut?" asked Gohan with his mouth full of food.

Goten waited until Gohan finished chewing and swallowed. "Like he's a Saiyan."

"WHAT?" exclaimed Gohan. "What do you mean he's a Saiyan?"

"What does it sound like I mean? He's a Saiyan. You know, full moon, turn into an Oozaru type of Saiyan?"

"So that's what that comment was about," laughed Gohan. "How do you know this? He doesn't look like a Saiyan. I mean we don't get purple hair like that do we?"

"No, I've never ever seen anything like that, but I can smell it Gohan. I can smell it," answered Goten cryptically. "I'm not 100 percent sure yet. I'll find out tomorrow since he received some medical treatment on one of my ships. I'll know for sure once I take a look at his records."

"Make sure you let me know Goten… I want to know who this guy is if he's with my little girl."

"Don't worry, Gohan, I will. Also I'm putting my fleet on full alert. I have a bad feeling that his mother will just happen to arrive in a few days. She may be coming with some friends."

"Do you think he's working for the rebels?"

"I don't know Gohan, but I intend to find out."

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

Unbeknownst to Goten or Trunks, Bulma and Vegeta had already arrived on Chikyuu. At the same time Trunks and the Son family was having their light hearted lunch, Bulma was fulfilling a final request.

Bulma slowly walked up to a small house with a white picket fence and looked around. It was a peaceful place. The house was situated at the edge of a farm in the lush Ohio valley on the Western Continent of Chikyuu. She wasn't sure what the family cultivated, but she could see the acres upon acres of open field. Their rich greenness was a welcome sight for her. He Chikyuu didn't have much greenery. Horses were out to pasture, and there was an orchard within her line of sight. The sounds of children laughing and playing drifted down to where she stood. .

Bulma glanced down at the letter she had in her hand. She turned it over several times while mustering the courage to go up to the door. How does one tell a parent that their son had died? How does one bring the news to a brother, or a sister? These questions flashed through her mind. She had known the young man for such a short period of time. He had been full of youthful vigor, and charisma. The future had been there for his taking. Instead, his ashes were now decomposing on Imperia-sei. Bulma could only shake her head at the injustice of it all.

"Can I help you Ma'am?" came the voice of a young woman.

Bulma's head snapped up as she saw a young woman walk towards her. The woman wasn't more than thirty years old. She wore a simple pair of jeans and a red shirt. She had a guarded look on her face, and didn't seem to be happy seeing Bulma.

"Hello," Bulma started hesitantly, "My name is Eiko Ikegami… Are you Mrs. Angles?"

"You aren't one of them people from the Bank? We told you that we'd find the money… just please give us some more time."

"I'm not from the bank, I'm a…" Bulma groped for a word to describe her relationship with the young guardsman. She surely wasn't a friend. "An acquaintance of Saxon's…" Bulma waited for her to supply a name.

"Oh!" cried the young woman. There was a look of profound embarrassment on her face. "I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to be rude… My name is Sara. I'm Saxon's elder sister… It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Ikegami."

"Uh… Saxon asked me to a letter to you and your family. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding," said Bulma.

"Oh… I think you're mistaken that's not me, but our younger sister. Come on in. You must have come a long way," said Sara. "Did you just come in from off planet?"

"Yes… just about forty minutes ago," replied Bulma as she followed the young woman towards the house.

"Mamma!" called Sara as she entered through the front door. "There's someone here with a letter from Saxon!"

At the mention of the young man's name the entire family seemed to appear. Several young children ran into the room followed by three older men, and two other women. "Saxon did you say? The boy finally took some time to write eh?" said the eldest of the men. His graying hair and weathered face marked him as the father of the family.

"Oh daddy, you know that Saxon writes when he can." She turned to Bulma and began to make introductions. "Ms. Ikegami, this is my father John, husband Brad, my mother, Jolie, and the two love birds, Lucy and Rich. Everyone this is Eiko Ikegami."

Greetings were exchanged all around, and Bulma suddenly felt sick. They were a tightly knit family and a happy one. She could see the joy in their eyes at the news that their beloved son and brother from space had written them. She could taste the anticipation in the air. She resolutely shoved her emotions downwards, but couldn't manage to keep her nervousness from showing.

"Eiko… are you alright," asked Jolie Angles, the mother.

"Yes. Yes, I'm ok." Bulma took a deep breath. "Saxon asked me to deliver this letter to you all." Bulma handed the letter over. Her hand shook badly as she held out the letter. The youngest daughter, Lucy, walked over and took her hand, as well as the letter. "Sit down Ms. Ikegami, you don't look too well." She helped Bulma sit down and then opened the letter. Her eyes widened and she yelped in glee. "Saxon says he's coming back for the wedding!"

The room burst into laughter and jubilation. The family was absolutely delighted that their loved one was coming home. It had been three years since they had last seen him and there had only been a few letters. It was a complete surprise for them, and their faces were lit up with joy and even a few happy tears. Bulma knew that those tears would soon become ones of a different sort. She steeled herself for what she had to do.

"Mrs. Angles… Please… I need to tell you all something," said Bulma. Her voice was firm now as she stood up slowly. "Forgive me but I shouldn't have let you have the letter like that… I have some bad news."

"What? Is Saxon sick? Is that why he's coming home… was he hurt?" asked his mother worriedly. The room fell abruptly silent and that silence nearly took away Bulma's resolve. She took a deep breath and plunged in.

"No, Mrs. Angles… he was killed in combat three weeks and a half ago," she said. Her own eyes began to water as she remembered the last heroic deed of the young man. "He gave his life so that the Emperor might live, and his last words to me were to tell you all that he loved you."

Bulma saw the shocked looks on the faces of the family. Saxon's father's face looked as if it were carved of solid granite. Yet, there were tears shimmering in the old man's eyes. He immediately moved and held his wife who was silently shedding her tears. The elder sister was softly crying against her husband's chest. The youngest simply sat there.

"But… but… it says here… He wrote that he was coming on leave… this… this can't be… he was coming to my wedding…" she sobbed quietly.

"I'm sorry to be the bearer of this news," Bulma said as she quietly stood up and walked out. It was best to leave the family to their grief. Her heart went out to them, and she couldn't help but shed tears for their loss. She knew the feeling of losing loved ones. After all, she had lost all her family and loved ones to the androids. She had found happiness in her son, and again in this new dimension. She was sure that they would survive. Yet, guilt plagued her. Saxon had given his life for Vegeta, and it was his self-sacrifice that had given her the chance to find her own happiness again. She felt that she owed this family something, and as she walked away from the small farm, she resolved to help them if it were ever in her power to do so.

* * *

_That Evening in Space…_

Marron stepped off the shuttle onto Goten's flagship. It had been years since she had last traveled in space. Yet, when she arrived on the ship she felt strangely at home. _Is this where I belong?_ She asked herself. There was an old saying on Chikyuu that once a man falls in love with the sea that it shall forever be his mistress. Was that not true of space as well? She didn't know. Somehow, after half a decade the siren song of the universe still called to her. She could feel the pull upon her as strongly as ever.

"Excuse me, Ma'am," said a young lieutenant as he approached her. "This is a restricted area. Do you have a reason for being here?"

"I am the Marchioness de Toulon. I have an appointment with Lord Sirrus," pronounced Marron in a tone of voice that dripped with self-assurance and power.

"Ma'am, I'll have to see some form of identification, and I'll have to check with my superior. I'm sorry but its procedure on a full alert."

"Please feel free to contact the Duke himself. He knows I'm here." Sure enough she saw Geoff, the old aide hustling her way.

"My lady Chaitagne," said the old man as he smoothly interposed himself between the lieutenant and Marron. "His lordship waits for you in his cabin. If you will please follow me."

Marron nodded and began to follow the aide. She stopped a second when she saw that the young lieutenant had visibly paled when he had realized that he might have mortally offended a member of the high aristocracy. She gave him a reassuring smile. "Lieutenant." She looked at his nametag. "Lt. Tannerson, you were doing your duty. Such devotion in the face of higher authority is rare. I will be sure to commend you to the Duke."

She turned and walked away from the man but not before she saw a look of relief pass over the man's face. She couldn't help but feel the taste of power at her action. She could have ground the man's career and life under her foot if she had chosen to. To have such control had always been intoxicating for her. It scared her. She had only to look at Trunks to see what power did to a person. He would have no doubt destroyed the man's career. Yet, there were other ways to use power and influence for good. _Noblise Oblige._ The words flashed through her mind. Once, long ago, she had touted these words to the peerage again and again. She had been insistent that the strong must protect the weak. That it was their duty to do so.

Duty. A word that Goten had used against her. Was he right though? Was she skirting her duty? Was she now a hypocrite that she went against all that she had once demanded from others? Had she come to Chikyuu and abandoned those who had come to trust her, to rely on her, to need her? She had spent the last few days thinking things over and had come to a decision. It was time for her to resume her duties though perhaps in a different capacity. She wasn't sure if she could be the Marchioness—the one they called the Hollow One—again.

"Lady Chataigne to see you milord."

The words snapped her out of her reverie. She hadn't noticed that they were now standing in front of Goten's office. Marron quickly reorganized her thoughts and stepped through the office doorway.

"Marchioness de Toulon. Please sit," he said gesturing to one of two chairs before him.

"So formal Lord Sirrus?" she smirked. "I would think that on a matter of personal business with an old friend that you would allow yourself some casualness."

"I'm not sure if this is personal business, my dear. You had Pan hand me a note that simply said that you wished to meet me privately. And besides, I just merely wish to remind you of who you really are," he said. His tone and his posture remained business like.

"Is this why you brought me here? To remind me of what I have given up? Chikyuu isn't all that bad, Goten. It's peaceful and lends itself wonderfully to study." Marron said as she sat down. She glanced around the room before letting her gaze settled back on him. The office was relatively Spartan. The walls were completely unadorned except for the one directly behind where Goten was sitting. There hung a golden eagle with wings outstretched in front of a disc, the Imperial emblem. Goten sat directly underneath it adding to his already regal look.

"Yes, I heard you spent much of the last few years in pursuit of a degree in History from Satan City University. I hear you did a PHD in less than two years. Quite remarkable."

"Not really. After all, who on Chikyuu really knows that much about the Imperium?" she asked rhetorically and shifted in her seat. After a moment, she continued, "Did you have a chance to consider my request?"

"When you leave, I'll have Geoff provide you with a terminal and datalink. I believe all your old access codes work. Not that we could keep you out of our databases anyway," answered Goten. "I'm glad you've decided to help."

"I owe you… and I owe our master. I cannot let you two face this alone, and besides the two of you would just make a mess out of things. I have no idea how you guys let things get so unraveled over the last five years."

"Things have been very quiet the last three years, Marron. After you left, there was a brief upswing in rebellions, but once that was done with and people started realizing that the Imperium could be a good thing… well there hasn't been any trouble almost at all in the last three years."

"There's always trouble, Goten. You just have to look for it."

"My mommy told me never to go looking for trouble. That's why I don't do what you do," he said half-jokingly. Goten reached into his drawer and pulled out a folder and flipped it across the desk to her. "Anyway, take a look at this for a second. This one might be related to the coup, but I don't think so."

Marron looked at him quizzically and then opened it. It was a dossier on a man.

"Trunks Briefs? This isn't Trunks… at least not my fiancé," she said as she looked at the name and picture next to it. Her lips twisted upwards. "My, he is quite handsome. Very high on the sex appeal."

"Well obviously not your Trunks then," scoffed Goten. "Speaking of which, now that you are…"

"I haven't decided to come back Goten. I'm just helping you out right now… and I haven't decided what to do with my fiancé, yet…" she said as she interrupted him. She didn't want to talk about their relationship. Things were messed up as it were. "Let's talk about us later, ok?"

"Alright, it's been five years… what's a few days more," said Goten in a lighter tone than he actually felt. "So?"

"There's nothing on this guy. No birth date, no place of birth, nothing except for this medical record…" She quickly glanced at T.V. Briefs medical record. She could see that it was taken the day prior on one of the Imperial Starships that were orbiting Chikyuu at the moment. She looked it over and then frowned. "Ki level of six is normal but these other results are strange. He has unusual muscle density for a human. Strange… his DNA doesn't quite match a pure blooded humans… This guy is a hybrid isn't he?"

"Yes, keep looking."

"Hmm… Kidneys, hearts, and… fascinating, are these his x-rays?"

"Yes."

"Interesting… he has… or he had… a tail? His tailbone is significantly larger than a human's, and," she made the connection. "A human hybrid. There is only one race that we know of that can interbreed with humans and that race just happens to have a tail. He's a Saiyan isn't he Goten?"

"Yes… that was my thought. My instincts tell me he's one as well."

"Why the interest Goten? So he's a Saiyan. Confront him," she asked. She tossed the folder onto his desk and leaned forward putting her elbows on his desk.

"He's dating Pan," he answered.

"Oh… Now that is interesting," she replied. "You think he's working with the rebels?"

"Perhaps."

She nodded. This was very interesting. An unknown Saiyan happens to show up and start dating Goten's niece. Not only does he have an access point to Goten, but Pan herself was quite important in the grand scheme of the Imperium, even if not many people knew it.

"So… what does this have to do with me, Goten," she asked as she reclined back in her chair. It was almost a rhetorical question. She knew what he was going to ask.

"I want you to find out what you can about him. Meet him, and such… find out what he's really doing here."

"You know, I'm already engaged to one Trunks. Are you trying to pawn me off to another?" she asked teasingly. "I might not think much of my fiancé, but this one is a delicious morsel of man-flesh. What is it about you Saiyan men?"

"Don't be a tease," rebuked Goten. It always annoyed him when she started behaving like this. She could go from perfectly demure classy lady, to sensuous and even borderline whorish, to a stone-faced killer in seconds. It unnerved even him sometimes and he knew her as well as one could. "I'm sure Pan wouldn't be too happy about that either."

"Pan doesn't like me anyway. I think she takes life a bit too seriously sometimes."

"Huh? I never got the sense she didn't like you… why not?"

"She's smart. She could always tell that I was putting on a demure act and she doesn't like it when people try to pull one over on her. Still, she couldn't quite pin down what I was and it drove her crazy. It's insta-dislike from someone like her… or someone like me. We're very alike in some ways."

Marron glanced down at Mirai no Trunks' picture. "You know, he does kind of look like my Trunks a bit. I think they could pass as brothers if you changed the hair color and gave him a different set of eyes and nose; they have the same lips and same facial construction. I'd love to do a DNA sample. Now wouldn't that be interesting, Bulma Briefs with a bastard. Anyway, what do you want me to do if he turns out to be… involved in this mess? Should I terminate him?"

"I haven't made a decision on that yet… let me know what he's up to first. Will you do this for me?"

Listening to his tone she realized he was asking her as one friend to another and that her answer had to be serious. If she answered yes, then she was committed. She thought carefully before answering. Did she really want to get back into Imperial politics? Strangely the answer came almost instantaneously.

"Yes. I'll find out for you… and if you need it, I'll terminate him."

Goten just nodded. "Do you need anything?"

"Just that handheld terminal so I can link up to your databases."

"Ok… You can take one with you when you leave here. I'll go with you back downside. I need to make dinner with the family anyway."

"Speaking of family, my Trunks wanted your entire family over for a 'friendly' party tomorrow afternoon and evening."

Goten scowled. "I… I would prefer not to attend."

"Bring Pan and Trunks with you as well as your dad and brother. It'll be a good opening for me to meet him. You introduce me."

Goten signed, "Fine… I'll come for a little while at least. What time tomorrow?"

"How about 4ish? That sound good?"

"Fine. I'll see you then."


	17. Chapter Seventeen: Welcome to Capsule Co...

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 17: Welcome to Capsule Corp.

_West Capitol, Chikyuu…_

Mirai no Bulma looked over the huge Capsule Compound of this dimension. Unlike the one in her time, it was still in good shape. The domes hadn't collapsed and there were beautiful gardens everywhere. While there were certainly some superficial changes—mainly due to the fact that Yamcha and Trunks Yamcha Briefs lived there—the basic construction was the same. Bulma was sure that she could get in.

"It looks close enough to mine in my time, Vegeta. I don't think it'll be a problem getting in," said Bulma. "Let me ask you one more time. Are you sure you just don't want me to go in and introduce myself and ask if we can use my counterpart's stuff?"

"Woman. I will have nothing to do with your counterpart. Nothing," he said venomously. Vegeta still obviously had a few issues to resolve with the Bulma of this dimension.

The two of them were sitting on the roof of a nearby building. Bulma had, again, drawn on Capsule Corp funds and got them a hotel room nearby. Not wanting to argue with Vegeta, she looked through her binoculars again to check out the area. As she scoped out the area, she spotted a black sedan pulling up into the compound. She followed the car as it went to the back entrance and several people got out.

"Vegeta…" she hissed. "Quick look at this…"

Vegeta sat up from where he was lying down. He had been staring at the sky trying to purge his memories of this place. Chikyuu had long held a connotation with THAT woman. He had avoided thinking about it for decades, and now he was here at the scene of the crime. The memories had come flooding back and with them, they brought anguish. He was starting to understand slightly why THIS woman had such a hard time coping with her past.

Vegeta frowned as he recognized the people who had gotten out of the car. They were Bojack's minions. Each of the three blue skinned minions of Bojack wore black suits and had sunglasses on. The other two people were Dr. Myuu, and a man in his early thirties who was ushering them into the compound.

"I see that the people of Chikyuu have sided with the rebels," he said flatly. There was no emotion in his voice and his eyes were as hard as agates.

"How about we find out the facts first before we make conclusions, Vegeta." Bulma knew she had to stop him or he'd blow his cover. He probably believed that the Sons had gone over and she knew that it was his greatest fear, to have his trust betrayed again. "Act like an Emperor and not some egotistical maniac."

"Woman… do you think me a fool?" asked Vegeta with a look of bafflement on his face. He was at a lost at how the woman could think him as foolish as to jump to conclusions.

"I didn't say anything of the sort, Vegeta," Bulma said hastily.

"Woman… I know very well not to jump to conclusions. I fully intend to hold judgment until I confront the brats myself. Tell me… was I that idiotic in your dimension? No wonder your pretender perished to a toaster."

"You know, Vegeta, when you first started that little speech I was going to comment on your change in attitude you've had in the last… was it thirty years? Well now that I think about it, you're still the same egotistical bastard as always"

Vegeta just smirked. She may have thought that he hadn't changed much, but it appears that he wasn't the only one staying static. It was the same old story happening all over again. "Enough, talk. Can we get in?"

Bulma chuckled. She sat down and looked over the ledge again. Her brows furrowed as she concentrated on looking over the grounds again. "Ok… I can get us in without being detected. We'll hop over the south wall and then make our way to the back entrance. I'm sure those codes will be easy to break. The tough ones will be the ones in the laboratory. If we're lucky they will be the same ones that I know. If we aren't I'll have to crack them." Bulma paused for a second and smiled. "You know… it's so much easier to crack your own codes than someone else's. This will be a piece of cake. Lets get down to the store, I need some supplies."

"Woman. There is no rush. We cannot make a move until they leave the compound. I know their ki signatures now and we will make no mistakes."

Bulma nodded. "Still, it doesn't hurt to be prepared and there are other things we can be doing to pass the time," she said as she grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the ledge.

* * *

_The next morning…_

"Woman, wake up!" ordered Vegeta as he unceremoniously dumped Bulma out of the bed they had just been sharing.

"Vege…" Bulma couldn't even finish her sentence. She was absolutely livid, as any normal person would be if they had been happily sleeping one minute and then found herself on the floor the next.

"Bojack's henchmen have left Capsule Corporation. We must get in now."

Bulma muttered a few choice obscenities under her breath as she slowly rose to her feet. Walking into the bathroom, she quickly brushed her teeth and woke herself up by splashing some cold water on her face. She quickly dressed in black clothing suited for vigorous activity. A tight black shirt went over a sports top, and she put on a pair of black tights.

"What time is it?" she asked grumpily. She didn't need to look out the window to know it was still dark out.

"It is five. We must move quickly, woman. We do not know when they will be back."

"Alright. I'm ready, let's go," she said as she put a few capsules into various pockets.

Vegeta nodded, and the two of them quietly left their hotel room. Catching a cab right in front of the hotel, they were dropped off, ten minutes later, one block away from the Capsule Compound.

The two of them wasted no time. They casually walked over to the Capsule Compound from the south. It was still a bit too early for anyone to be up and notice the two of them. Moreover, both of them were dressed in dark colors so that they would be more difficult to spot in the early morning light.

"I wonder why I would have a wall built?" Bulma mused out loud when they reached the security wall on the south side of the compound. In her timeline, before the androids came, she never had contemplated such security measures. The current Bulma had, for some reason, installed a fifteen-foot high wall around her home.

"You must have become a paranoid bitch."

Bulma glanced at Vegeta sharply in anger for a moment. Then, realizing that she was married to Yamcha in this time period, she let out a small sigh. Vegeta was probably right. With Yamcha, she knew she could never have felt secure. She'd always be wondering what he was up to whenever he went out. She'd never know whether if he would come back to her, or embarrass her with one of his many girlfriends. The Bulma of this time would have to live perpetually in a haze of uncertainty where there should have been nothing but faith. This could easily have been the seed that grew over the years and made her into a bitter self-centered woman.

Mirai no Bulma reached down, grabbed a stick, and threw it at the wall. When nothing happened, she sighed in relief. "Well at least it's a normal wall and not something I whipped up."

Vegeta just hmmped. "Let's get going woman. We don't have all day."

"You know… It's really strange to be talking about myself. After we get your collar off, I'm going to have to meet myself. I'm very curious as to how I turned out," said Bulma as she climbed onto his back. He leapt up just high enough so that she could reach the top of the wall and pull herself over. As soon as she was safely sitting on the fifteen-foot wall, he jumped up and joined her. He then scooped her up in his arms and leapt down. Using a tiny bit of ki, Vegeta floated down and landed silently on the soft ground below. He set Bulma on her feet and then sniffed the air around him. "No one is up. Let's go."

Bulma and he ran quickly to the back entrance of Capsule Compound. As they ran, Bulma pulled out a capsule and activated it. With a poof, a small electronic device appeared in her hand. She quickly pointed it in the direction of the compound and pressed it. The device was a small remote camera control. Bulma had gone to Camera Shack the night before and had put together a few little gadgets that would help her get in. The entire compound's cameras began to loop their images.

As they reached the door, Bulma took out another capsule that contained her laptop and some tools. Using a screwdriver she popped open the front panel of the security pad and quickly wired her computer in. Numbers flashed across her screen as the computer found out the proper access code. In less than a minute the door's locks clicked automatically and she opened the door.

"Your Majesty. Welcome to Capsule Corporation," said Bulma with a wave of her hand and a mocking curtsey.

Vegeta just sniffed. "Woman, you will be punished for that."

"I'll be looking forward to it, your majesty," she said saucily as she gave a little wiggle. She led him into the building and began to make her way through the labyrinth of corridors.

"This is not the way to you laboratory," remarked Vegeta as he followed her. "It must be in a different place in your time. Follow me, I remember where it is."

"No, Vegeta. We aren't going to that laboratory. We're going to my private lab."

"Private lab?"

"Yes… I have a lab that no one knows about. I didn't even tell you about it in my time… It was my one place of solitude," she explained. "Come on, its just in the next room."

The two of them walked into what seemed to be a sitting room. It was lightly decorated with an amber theme. On each of the walls hung paintings. The first was one showed a scene where Capsule Corp. explorers were battling savage barbarian tribes in the freezing winters of Sibera. The second was a painting of two lovers intertwined with each other with Cupid watching over them. A third painting was of a family having a picnic in a park. The landscape was breathtaking with the golden, red colored trees in the mountainous background. The last painting depicted a scene where soldiers were taking a break during the mid-heat of summer.

Yet, despite the beauty of the paintings, they were not what dominated the room. Instead, a large amber pillar with three slits in it dominated the room. Behind it was the painting of the Capsule explorers though it hung just below a large window. Moreover, there were furnishings in the room. It was obviously a place where the Bulma of this time intended to entertain guests. The various antiques that were set around the room must have also cost a fortune. The various vases, sculptures and such were undoubtedly meant to impress whoever was received there. Bulma's eye was particularly drawn to three figurines that were placed from right to left on the far wall away from the amber pillar; Aphrodite, Apollo, and Demeter. On the wall opposite of them stood a single statue of Hades.

"Hmmm… This is different from my time. It's this room, but I wonder where I would hide the switch. Let's see…" Bulma slowly walked around the room examining every object with care. For about five minutes she examined each wall, each piece of furniture, and every decoration with care. Finally she shook her head.

"I have no idea… This is a puzzle, I'm sure of it. I've always set things in small riddles…" she said to Vegeta, who was leaning against a wall with his arms crossed.

"I have no doubt that it has something to do with the most costly piece in here," stated Vegeta with disgust. The piece he was referring to was the large amber pillar that had three slits through it.

"Please Vegeta. I would never be as superficial as that," replied an affronted Bulma.

"Perhaps you would not, but she would."

Bulma didn't answer. She had automatically walked back to the large amber pillar and had begun examining it. As she did so, a stray ray of morning sunlight struck the pillar casting its shadow on the wall behind. Bulma turned and saw that it struck above the three figurines placed on the far wall from the pillar. _God I'm a genius,_ she thought to herself. Each of the pillars on the far wall represented three seasons. The sun would shine on one of the statues directly on the Vernal, and Autumnal equinoxes as well as the summer solstice. As it was only weeks past the summer solstice, Bulma was sure that the middle figurine was the switch that would open. Placing her hand on it, the eyes of the Vegeta-like figurine glowed and then she felt a little tremor as the center of the room lowered itself slightly to reveal a ramp down into a hidden hallway.

"I'm a genius," she stated flatly.

Vegeta ignored her and peeked into the corridor. The entrance was small but it began to widen as it progressed down into the earth below. At the far end of the hallway there seemed to be an elevator. He jumped down and signaled Bulma to join him. Bulma walked down the hallway to the elevator and seeing a security measure, she placed her palm on a hand pad that was on the wall.

"_Hand Identification Confirmed"…_ Chimed a computer voice. "_Please enter code."_

With complete confidence, Bulma entered a code into the machine. There was no response for a moment causing Vegeta to hold his breath. They were so close, yet if they were caught now there would be little hope of escape.

"_Code Confirmed…"_ said the voice again. The elevator door opened up. With a you-should-have-more-faith-in-me smile plastered on her face, Bulma turned and, again, gave a mocking curtsey to Vegeta. "Your Majesty, my counterpart's lab awaits. I think we can get this collar off you now.

Vegeta glared at her. He felt as if she were mocking him every time she said the words, "_Your Majesty." _

The two of them walked into a brightly lit and meticulously clean room that was probably a thousand square feet in size. The ceilings were several feet above their heads, and rows upon rows of florescent lights ate up kilowatts of power to give this dimensions Bulma Briefs proper lighting for her research.

"This is very interesting…" remarked Mirai no Bulma as she walked through her counterparts lab. She was jealous that the Bulma of this time had the luxury of testing out the myriad of theories that she had in her head. A single glance around the room showed that her counterpart had successfully developed several new power sources, a better way to capsulate things, and even a regeneration tank. Mirai no Bulma couldn't help but feel cheated in a way.

"Woman… what are you frowning about? You have things to do." Vegeta's voice sliced through her glum musings as if it were a sharp knife.

"Give me a second," she shot back a little irritated. He was probably right though she thought to herself, she had best get to work. She looked around the lab and found several analyzing devices that she had created in her time. It was really just too convenient that she invented the same things in this time as well. "Sit down here Vegeta while I take a look at that collar."

Vegeta did as he was told. He walked over to where she was sitting and sat down. Bulma immediately went to work with the analyzers. She ran it up and down his neck, sometimes only on the collar and sometimes on the skin of his neck. The cold touch of metal kept causing Vegeta to fidget.

"Sit still damn it," barked Bulma. "Where's that vaunted Vegeta discipline?"

"Woman," said Vegeta dangerously. "You make me cook for you, you cut off my hair, you mock my status as Emperor, and now you dare abuse my discipline?"

"Just sit still… and you offered to cook for me, I can grow your hair back in the regen tank over there in less than 10 seconds and your pompous ass deserves to be mocked."

Vegeta growled at her but he sat still. "You are the most insufferable harpy I've ever had the misfortune to meet."

Bulma just smiled and ignored his comment. She was putting all her concentration into her work and like always, it caused her to completely tune out the world. Vegeta noticed this and quieted down. Bulma couldn't ever be baited while she was working.

Probably an hour went by before Bulma finally broke the silence. "This is amazing Vegeta. I don't know who the hell created this but it's just absolutely amazing."

"Is that suppose to make me feel better?"

"Huh? Oh… Don't worry I'll be able to get it off you. It's going to hurt like hell and I'm going to have to put you into that regen tank, but it'll come off. Look at the bright side… you'll be able to transform and get your hair back at the same time."

"Good… Now tell me why this thing has you so excited?" he asked.

Bulma blinked. She still wasn't use to the fact that this Vegeta had an interest in things outside fighting, eating, sleeping, and sex. It was amazing that he took such an active interest in things around him. It was amazing that he cared to ask her what SHE found exciting.

"Well… where to start. This isn't actually one piece of metal. In fact you can't really call it metal at all since it's really billions of cellular sized nanites linked together. It's almost like a mechanical living organism. It attaches so seamlessly to your neck that it's impossible to get it off without help and if you try it sends electric pulses straight into your spine inducing pain. They basically have become a part of you. If they feel pain, you feel pain."

"How are you going to get it off me?"

"Well I'm going to use electro magnetic pulses to short circuit them. It's going to be extremely painful though because when I do it they are going to send pain signals into your spine. In fact… they'll probably damage your nervous system. That's why we'll need the regen tank to repair it. I don't think there is any other way we can do it."

Vegeta nodded. "Do it. Get this thing off me."

Bulma nodded. "It will take me at least a couple of hours, if I'm lucky, to put something together that might possibly be able to produce the concentrated pulses that I need to even damage these things. Can you sit tight?"

Vegeta nodded. "Print me out a star map from the computer over there. I'm sure your counterpart has one. I need to do some thinking while you work on that."

Bulma nodded and did as he asked. Soon the two of them were equally absorbed in their work.

Vegeta looked over the star map that Bulma had printed out for him. He had highlighted the important systems and had begun to hatch plans for their re-conquest. Looking over his plans he shook his head. Quickly, he scanned the room and saw that Bulma was working away at some sort of device. Her lips were pressed tightly together and the look of concentration on her face was fearsome. He couldn't help but find her beautiful. Not wanting to disturb her he went back to his map. Looking at it, memories began to unfold for him. He found it incredibly disturbing that he continuously lost everything only to find something to replace it.

It had begun when he had been a child. He had everything. He was the most powerful Saiyan to be born in a thousand years, a super-elite. He had been the Saiya-jin no Ouji and had a world at his fingertips. Then, Freeza had destroyed it, though he had not known it at the time. Instead he had thought that a comet had destroyed his world for a while and had settled in to become a soldier working for Freeza. He had risen high and had been a favorite of Freeza's and always had Radditz and Nappa kow-towing to him. Then he had found that he had been lied to by Freeza and had his world crash down around him again. After years of attempting to find a way to get his revenge he found it in the Dragonballs on Chikyuu. Here he lost both Radditz and Nappa, and had been defeated by a third-class Saiyan. Soon after he had been killed by Freeza and completely surpassed by Kakkarot. When he had been wished back he had to start from scratch for the second time.

Shortly thereafter, he had become accustomed to Chikyuu and had even begun to bond to the Bulma of this timeline. He had thought he had found a place, only to be thrown down again when she had left him for that weakling Yamcha. Again, he had to start over. He had left for space and then, achieving the Super Saiyan form, he had secluded himself on a planet and dedicated himself to his training. He had no plans for anything besides becoming the strongest in the universe. The years had blurred for him. He had done nothing but train and he had achieved a form that was superior to the normal Super Saiyan form. It was during this time that Kakkarot's brat and the Android's spawn had arrived and fate wove him another path. With them he had become the heir to what remained of Freeza's empire. He was now, perhaps, the most powerful being in the universe. Though Kakkarot may have been the strongest, he was undoubtedly more powerful. Whole worlds trembled at his very word and if it was his will, he could have turned Kakkarot to dust with a single command.

One again, once he had achieved something, fate conspired against or perhaps for him. He had been deposed and all that he had worked for was stripped from him. He was, once again, back at square one. This time, however, he wasn't bitter. Somehow fate had arranged for him to meet someone who was as bonded to him as he to her. It was a strange sensation for him. He had never shared himself with anyone and the only being he had been willing to share with rebuffed him. Ironically, he was now opening up to that same person, though of a different time. The universe was indeed a strange place.

He came out of his musings for a second and looked at Bulma again. He didn't know how she would take to being an Empress, but he didn't quite care. He would be quite content abdicating in favor of Kakkarot's brat, and living in peace and solitude. It had been his intention to make Son Goten his heir regardless. The boy had come to mean something to him, and it was for that reason he feared deeply that the boy had betrayed him. He truly hoped that he had not, for he knew the wound from that would bite deeply.

It was strange, he thought. He had never intended to allow himself to feel again when he had left Chikyuu. Yet, somehow Goten and Marron had wormed their way into and awakened his cold, dead heart on that remote planet he had dwelt on. He had trained them mercilessly, to beyond their limits, even beyond his own, in expectation that they would quit and leave him to his isolation. Somehow they had endured and when the warlord's fleet came, they destroyed it. He could remember the pride he felt when he saw them go into battle and emerge victorious. However, what still surprised him was that he, Vegeta, agreed to leave with them. Somehow during their time together he had grown to care for them. He didn't know how or when but he knew now that they were as dear to him as if they were his own. When they had emerged victorious from the Union Wars, he had been re-forged as a new person as much as they and had formed a bond with them that was akin to a family's.

During that time, he had reached new heights, but it was not until he was forging an empire that he realized how much that Freeza had scarred him. He had known then that he would never become a great emperor. He relied far too much on his own strength just as Freeza had. He would rule through fear. His subjects obeyed him because they feared his power, save Goten only. He realized this, and that, in itself, was perhaps his greatest change. Though he may not become a great Emperor, he was still a good one. Fear was a useful tool to build the foundations of an Empire. However, his greatest accomplishment would be handing over the empire to a man he had groomed personally for the throne. Goten would not rule through fear. The people already loved him. Those who did not, respected him, and for those few who did not love or respect him, Goten was more than powerful enough to drive the fear of god into them. If that hardheaded spawn of the android would come out of seclusion then the two of them would make a perfect match to rule. He'd have to see what he could do about that while he was on Chikyuu.

"Vegeta!"

Vegeta snapped out of his daydreaming to find Bulma hovering over him with a strange looking device in her hand. "God damn it woman… do you need to be so loud?"

"Next time I'll just dump you out of whatever you are sitting just like you dumped me out of bed this morning."

"My… aren't we just a cold hearted bitch."

"Revenge is a dish best served cold. You better watch yourself Vegeta… I might just decide to grow your hair back green."

"You would not dare." The look on Vegeta's face was a mix of disbelief, fear, and outrage.

Bulma just smirked. "Ok… enough banter. Go sit on the table and you better take a deep breath. I'm going to find some anesthesia."

"I need no anesthesia woman. I am the greatest warrior in the universe."

"Umm… ok have it your way… Don't say I didn't tell you so."

Vegeta didn't bother with a reply. He walked over to the place she had indicated and sat down. "Begin the process," he said simply.

Bulma nodded and walked over to him. She activated the device on the lowest setting and set it against the living metal that was clasped around his neck. Immediately she could see Vegeta's eyes widen in pain. His fists clenched together tightly and his breath began to quicken. A soft hiss escaped from him. Carefully, she skimmed off the first layer of metal tissue and then upped the device a notch. She decided that it was better if she just killed it all as quickly as possible.

Looking at Vegeta she could see his knuckles turn white and his eyes squeeze shut. His teeth ground together from the pain that her work was obviously causing him. Removing about fifty percent of the collar she set the device even higher since the metal was becoming more resistant to the EMP as she worked. She was absolutely amazed at Vegeta's self control. Though she couldn't feel the pain herself she knew the kind of pain that she must be inflicting on him at the moment. Yet, not a single scream of pain had been emitted from him. Just as she finished, she finally heard him give a grunt of pain. Looking over she saw that he had completely passed out from the procedure. Quickly she moved to the regeneration tank and started it up. Moving back to Vegeta, she slowly dragged his body over to the tank and placed him in there. Activating it, she took a deep breath. _His collar is off now… I wonder if he will still want me when he doesn't need me anymore._ Sighing, she went over to the computer and began to look through the files on Saiyan health procedures so that she could make sure that everything went smoothly.

Author's notes: Thanks, Scragg, Harmony and Catycl, for your reviews. I'm curious to see who's still reading and if anyone from way back is still here.


	18. Chapter Eighteen: One Trunks too many

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 18:One Trunks too many

_While Mirai no Bulma was removing the collar…_

"Goten," smiled Bulma as she greeted the Duke de Sirrus at the door of Capsule Corporation. This time around she greeted him first before greeting the rest of the family. He still found it funny that she greeted them in the order of her evaluation of their importance. He was first now, Videl second, his mother, Gohan, and lastly his father. He chuckled to himself. At least Bulma realized his mother held enormous impact on the family. Trunks would have greeted her last and with disdain. "Come on in everyone. Krillan and the others are already here."

Bulma led the Sons through the compound and into her "back yard". It was far more than just a yard though; it was more like a small park. Many of the Son's old friends were there. Yamcha was, of course, there. Krillan, Eighteen and Marron were also there speaking to several people that Videl, but not Goku or Chichi knew. They were obviously some members of government. The Bulma of this dimension wasn't one to miss out on an opportunity to make connections.

It suddenly occurred to Goten that every major ki fighter except Piccolo, the android brothers—sixteen and seventeen, and Buu were there. His instincts cried foul play and, alarmed, Goten reached out his senses to sense if there were any strange, but powerful ki's in the area. He found none, though there was something he was sensing that was vaguely familiar. Shaking his head he pushed the suspicious nature of the party out of his mind. Bulma may be ruthless when it came to business and politics, but he was sure that she would not attempt anything with her friends. There was still a part of her that valued those friendships that she had forged so long ago. Goten was sure of it. No one who was as lonely as her completely discarded their friends; no matter how bitter they became.

"Where is Pan?" asked Bulma curiously. "I heard that she was back and I was hoping we could catch up."

"Oh, she's out with her new boyfriend. She said she was bringing him along later," answered Chichi. "I'm thinking great-grandchildren."

Bulma laughed with genuine fondness. "You are so lucky Chi-chi," she said with complete sincerity. "I'm still hoping for grandchildren. At least Trunks is getting married now… The two of them better get to work."

Laughter rang from the two mothers. Neither of them noticed the dark look that crept onto Goten's face, but another member of his family did.

Videl was shocked when she saw Goten's eyes flash in anger and then his face twist up in anger for a moment. Since he had melded his two personas into one, she had noticed that his face was always a perfect mask unless he was in an environment that he was completely comfortable in, like around his family. This was a public outing and it was not like him to lose control even in such an insignificant manner as he just did for even a second. _Could Goten have feelings for Marron?_ She thought to herself.

"Goten!" greeted another voice that caused Videl to whirl around. It was Trunks Yamcha Briefs leading Marron by the hand towards them. She was obviously reluctant and looked extremely pissed off with Trunks' indifference to her feelings.

"Goten!" said Trunks happily as he reached the Duke de Sirrus. He wrapped his arm around Marron and pulled her to him. "Goten! I would just like to invite you to our wedding. I really hope that you will attend."

"Wedding? Ahh yes. The two of you are engaged. Congratulations," he said with a false smile on his face. Turning to Marron, "I think the two of you would make a most _glamorous_ couple. I'm sure you'll both know your place in things"

Marron didn't even meet his eyes. Her body trembled in anger and embarrassment. Goten's remarks went over Trunks head, but she read the subtle innuendo in his words. She had always been adverse to fame. Even at the height of her power she had tried—as much as was possible to remain in the shadows. Goten knew which of her buttons to push. Marron looked straight down at the ground intent on ignoring Goten. Her silence stretched and Trunks elbowed her slightly to get her to say something. Her actions were embarrassing him and he did not want to get on the bad side of Goten. When another few seconds passed he finally answered for her.

"Ahh… Goten, ol'chap. I don't think my fiancé is feeling too well. Please excuse us." He none to gently grabbed Marron's arm and forcibly lead her away.

Goten stood there watching the couple. He could only shake his head at her behavior. If she married Trunks it would be something she would regret for the rest of her life. She took her oaths seriously so if she said them, he was sure she would stand by them. In the end, she would end up alone like Bulma, a hard bitter bitch. He did not want to see that happen to her. She was trying to escape her past, but the best way to do that was to create a new future with him and not Trunks.

"You love her… You're in love with Marron, Goten," he heard Videl whisper furiously. He met her eyes and saw that she knew the truth. Had he been that obvious? He had thought he had hid it better. Then again, Videl was a very shrewd judge of human character.

He threw a typical Son grin at her, "Haha Videl, what makes you think that?"

"Goten! She's about to get married to Trunks… does she know your in love with her?" asked Videl ignoring his little attempt to stall. She watched the grin fade off his face.

"She knows, Videl. She's always known… but she can't face me because if she does she'll have to face her past. She needs resolution to a lot of things, I think. Just like it was hard for me to face you, Gohan, mom and dad, she has to do that with me. Worse for her, she has to admit that she made a blunder and for Marron to admit that she's wrong is like pulling wisdom teeth. She'll come around and dump the loser soon enough," he said in a half serious, half jovial tone.

"That's a lot of faith, Goten."

"Not really, Trunks really has no idea what she is. He thinks she's like this little puppy he can kick around and show off, but eventually he'll realize that she's a pretty big bad wolf." He glanced around and spotted the table where lunch was set up. "Come on Videl, I want to get something to eat… the one thing I do love about Bulma's parties is the food. That woman knows some seriously great caterers."

As soon as they were away from Goten, Marron shed Trunks' grip and stalked off into the Compound. She ignored his glares and threw herself into one of the side rooms. Goten's comments had absolutely infuriated her. _How dare the man refer to her as Trunks' servant? _She was not some floozy that simply did his will. She was-. Marron didn't even finish the thought. With a heavy sigh she sat down on one of the couches in the sitting room. _Had she changed so much?_ She thought to herself. In her attempts to drown away her sorrow, and rid herself of her memories had she compromised herself? Had she become the very thing that she despised? She thought back on her relationship with Trunks. She did whatever it took to make him happy. Worse, she did it not because she loved him, or even cared about him, but rather because she wanted him to like her just enough so as not to dump her. She had become one of the many floozies that constantly threw themselves at him. She was no different from the various syncopates that had once flattered her for her own attention. Her entire life at the moment was a lie. It was nothing more than a fabrication for her to protect herself from her past instead of facing it.

_Her Past._ Did she want to lose it? Marron wasn't sure. So many things had molded and shaped her since she had been the fourteen-year-old stowaway. She had seen and experienced things that no child should ever: Genocide, rape, murder, war. She had committed atrocities that put her on the same level as Freeza. Yet, she also had happy times. She could remember learning the calligraphy of Ancient Saiya-go under the tutelage of Vegeta who had become a second father to her. She had walked over a hundred worlds and had seen things of indescribable beauty. She had experienced love with a certain half Saiya-jin.

Her decision was simple if she married Trunks she would close the door to the past forever. She would live a life of simplicity on Chikyuu and the nightmares that plagued her would vanish. Yet if she chose this he would leave. He would still care for her, even make arrangements for her well-being. However, he would never speak to her again in person. Of this she was sure, and of all things in her life, she did not want to lose him. He was her best friend; the man that had shared most of her experiences with her; the man that she could confide in; a man that trusted her, and that she trusted implicitly. In the end the decision wasn't hard. She would not lose her past. There were too many precious things there and if she had to face her actions and nightmares then so be it. It was time to be who she truly was; it was time to stop hiding from herself.

As she was about to head back to the party when she heard voices. Curiously she walked over to one of the sitting rooms where she heard them come from. Right before she got there though she struck something that sent her sprawling to the ground.

* * *

T.Y. Briefs watched Marron stalk off with a frown on his face. The woman really wanted to be hurt. She continuously embarrassed him in front of his most important friend. He could feel anger rising in him and fought hard to keep it down. He couldn't lose it here at this party; his mother would kill him.

"Trunks!" he heard someone call. Looking around, he caught his breath as he saw Pan walk towards him. His anger drained away as he took in her fresh youthful beauty. He had seen her earlier this morning after his little run in with that purple haired asshole. It was amazing how a girl goes from being a young sixteen-year-old tomboy to a gorgeous young woman. Pan's hair was like strands of night that flowed down to her shoulders, framing her face perfectly. Her eyes were eyes of dark mocha glittered happily at the sight of a man she had looked up to since she was a kid.

"Hey Pan," he said while looking her over. She had filled out nicely he decided.

"It's good to see you again Trunks," she said with a smile.

Trunks smiled back, and took her arm in his own. He gently led her away from the crowd towards the Capsule building. "I'm fine. Though Marron is embarrassing me again. I just can't understand women sometimes, Pan," he said in his most exasperated voice. "I do everything for her, but she won't even say hello to your uncle for me."

"Ahh… Yeah, there's some history between them, Trunks. I don't know the story but there definitely is something there. Don't worry about it," she said in an attempt to try to sooth him. She looked around for a moment then frowned. "Damn. I really wanted you to meet a friend of mine. His name is Trunks as well, but I think my uncle nabbed him to grill him about his past."

"Oh really? Another guy with the name of Trunks?" asked Trunks rhetorically. "That's quite weird. Are you seeing him?"

"Oh… well kind of. We're waiting on a few issues."

"Ahhh…" Trunks was disappointed for a moment. Pan looked so delicious there on his arm. He just wanted to ravish her. It only took him a moment to brighten up though. There was an old adage that came to his mind, '_Just because there's a goalie, doesn't mean you can't score.'_ He smiled at the truth of that. It cheered him up, especially since he was the greatest player of all time.

He slowly led her to one of the sitting rooms and sat next to her on a sofa. "So tell me what you have been up to Pan? You must have had quite a time in space with your uncle being the Duke de Sirrus and all."

She laughed. "You have no idea what a pain it is to be the niece of the Duke. It's impossible to tell who your real friends are Trunks. I just hate it sometimes, so most of the time I spend incognito." This was relatively the truth without any details. Pan was pretty proud of her little evasion. She did feel a little bit of guilt though. She liked Trunks despite her uncle's warnings to her about him. He had once told her that he was nothing more than a smooth user who wrapped a façade of kindness around him. She believed her uncle of course. However, Trunks Y. had never been anything but kind to her and she really had no reason to doubt his sincerity to her. When she was little he had always lavished attention on her and been someone she could confide in. She still considered him her friend and wouldn't change her mind unless he truly did something that proved her uncle right.

In light of this, Pan continued to chat with Trunks for a while. The two of them talked about past times and she told him about her various adventures. Trunks put on his most charming act and listened, or appeared to listen. He was, in reality, spending much more time ogling Pan.

Pan noticed that he was looking at her after a while. She stopped her story short. "Trunks? Are you listening to me?" He did not answer at first and just smiled at her. "What are you looking at Trunks?"

Again he just smiled at her. Slowly he seemed to shake himself out of a trance. "Has anyone told you Pan that you have really become a beautiful woman?"

Pan was shocked. She had never expected Trunks to think of her as anything else than a kid sister. She suddenly noticed his closeness. "Uhh… Trunks… Thanks."

He reached out and touched her hair. "You have such beautiful hair. It's so soft to the touch. Such beautiful soft skin and eyes that a man could just drown in."

Pan was getting a little nervous now, and she nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt his hand touch her face. Before she knew it he had brought his mouth to hers and kissed her on the lips.

* * *

_A few minutes before…_

"Hey Gohan. Do you know where Pan has disappeared off to?" asked Mirai no Trunks to his girlfriend's father. He hadn't seen Pan in almost twenty minutes and was just a bit curious where she had gone.

"I think she went inside with Trunks. They're old friends and I think they wanted to catch up," answered Gohan.

"Okay, thanks Gohan," said Trunks as he went off in search of her. He could sense her ki easily enough and walked into the Capsule Compound in search of her. He turned a few corners and suddenly ran smack into someone knocking her off her feet.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't see you there," he apologized quickly as he helped her up. He froze as he took a in the site of her. Before him stood a stunning blonde woman who he was sure starred in quite a few men's fantasies. He could tell that she was several years older than he was, perhaps around the age of Pan's uncle.

"Oh… the fault is mine. I should have been watching where I was going," replied Marron. She looked up at him and realized that he was the boy-man that Goten wanted her to find out about. She looked him over and decided that the boy was definitely scrumptious. His medical photos didn't do him justice at all. A little too young for her, but for Pan he would be a perfect catch. "I'm Marron. You must be Trunks, Pan's friend. I've heard a bit about you."

"Pleased to meet you Marron," he said with a smile. "I hope nothing you've heard is bad."

"What I heard most definitely did not prepare me for such a fine male specimen," she said as she ogled him purposefully. His blush was adorable and she laughed heartily. "That is a cute blush my handsome young prince."

"How…" Trunks caught himself before he made a colossal blunder. She was teasing him and he almost asked her how he knew that he was a prince. "Uhh… thank you." He finished lamely.

Marron, of course, caught it and filed it away for later. The poor boy was so embarrassed; she decided to let him off the hook. She'd figure out everything later since she really wanted to talk with Goten at the moment. "Anyway, tell me what are you doing here?"

"Oh… I'm looking for Pan and I think she's somewhere nearby."

"Ahhh… Tracking by ki. I see you are a little bit of a fighter, my young prince."

Trunks was shocked that the woman could figure out that he was tracking by ki so quickly. "Yeah. I do train a little… anyway could you help me find Pan?"

Marron nodded. She stretched her own senses out and found Pan two rooms over. "She's this way. Follow me."

Pan was totally caught off guard by T.Y. Brief's kiss. She didn't accept the kiss, but she didn't outright throw him off her either. She had had a serious crush on this Trunks when she had been in her early teens. He had seemed so mature and handsome then; a catch that any young girl would be ecstatic to have. A part of her screamed in jubilation, after all, this was Trunks Briefs kissing her. He was the most eligible bachelor on the planet and he was kissing her! The more sensible and less primal part of her mind was telling her that she had already found the man of her dreams and though this would fulfill a fantasy of hers, she had no desire to give up what she had for what looked like greener grass on the other side. She tried in vain to find a way to get him off of herself without offending him. Unfortunately that opportunity only presented itself when she felt a massive ki skyrocket near her and a vase crash against the floor.

Trunks turned his head towards the entrance way and Pan immediately slipped off the couch and sprang to her feet. She, too, turned and looked at the doorway and then felt her heart stop. There stood Mirai no Trunks with rage burning in his eyes standing next to Marron in the doorway.

"Trunks…" began Pan as she tried to move towards Mirai no Trunks. However, she only took a few steps before Trunks intercepted her.

"Don't worry about it Pan," said T.Y. Briefs reassuringly as he rose from the couch and adjusting his shirt. "Marron, that was a very expensive vase you just broke. I am quite upset with you now."

His voice was condescending as usual and obviously expected Marron to ask for his forgiveness. Taking notice of Mirai no Trunks, Trunks frowned. "You! I know you… get the fuck off my property now before I have you thrown off."

Mirai no Trunks didn't say a word. He simply glared at Pan, and then blasted straight through the ceiling and out of Capsule Corporation.

"Oh heavens, how unfortunate," said Marron in dramatic understatement as she looked up at the sky through the hole in Capsule Corporations ceiling. "If I may be so bold as to advise you Pan, I think you should go after him. Calm him down and then try to explain it."

Pan didn't need to be told twice. She powered up and blasted up right after Trunks with all the speed she could muster.

After Pan left, Marron calmly pulled off her engagement ring and tossed it at Trunks' feet.

"You know you're nothing more than a spineless worm," she spat before she spun on her heels and started to leave.

"Don't you DARE turn your back on me bitch!" shouted Trunks Yamcha Briefs as Marron started to storm away from him. "You are mine and that is that."

In mid-stride she stopped and hung her head. Her shoulders quivered for a second. Trunks smirked as he thought that he had bent her to his will as he had done time and time before.

"Turn around," he commanded. Marron slowly turned around. Her eyes were closed and her head hung facing the floor. Her long golden tresses fell over her face obscuring her features.

Trunks straightened himself out and briefly looked around to find where the ring was. Seeing it, he went and picked it up. "Put this back on."

"Who do you think you are?" she asked in a very quiet voice. Yet, every word was clearly audible even across the room. The words seemed to hang in the air for the second.

"Who do I think I am? I am your better. You will do as I say," said Trunks, his voice rising. How dare this common woman question him? How dare she even hesitate in response to his command? She was nothing more than a pretty piece of ass before she met him. He had made her. It was he who introduced her, a complete loser, into high society. His temper flared but he put a cap on it. It seemed that she still needed a little straightening out before she would be fit to grace the circle that he did with proper etiquette. He tossed the ring to her casually. "Now put it back on and lets get back to the party."

The ring floated through the air and Marron caught it with her left hand without even looking. She didn't reply to Trunks. Rather she stood there examining the ring. _How could I ever have been so idiotic to think that this worm could have made a decent husband?_ She cursed herself for wasting so much of her life.

"I think not," she said raising her head. She opened her eyes slowly. Cold fire burned within them. It was as if something that had long been dormant had ignited within her again. Her remaining doubts about the wisdom of returning to the Imperium vanished. She knew what she had to do. She dropped the ring and let it clatter on the floor. Turning, she began to walk out of the room without even acknowledging Trunks' presence.

"BITCH!" shouted Trunks. His temper burst and he flung himself after her intending to beat her into the ground. His fist connected to the back of her head causing her to spin around. He struck her in the face and then in the stomach. Again and again he punched her with all his might. She would remember this beating for the rest of her life; he would make sure of that.

Marron stood there as Trunks struck her again and again and again. She didn't even feel the blows as they landed. Without warning she threw her knee into Trunks' midsection causing him to double over in pain. The shock in his eyes was absolutely priceless, something not even MasterCard could buy. She really wished she had a camera. It was something to show the grandkids one day.

Slowly, she cupped her chin with her hand and leaned towards him. Her lips twisted up in a vicious but sensual smile. As she spoke, her voice was silky, soothing, and utterly erotic. It promised him something—it promised him death. "Understand this, my dear Trunks. If you ever speak to me again… I will kill you."

"Marrroo…"

Marron didn't let Trunks finished. She backhanded him into the nearest wall. He hit it with a loud thud and then crumpled to the ground, clutching his shoulder. "You always were slow to understand things," she said simply, her voice hard. She placed the tip of her heels under his chin and slowly, with her foot, lifted his head so that his eyes met hers. She could see that the fear in his eyes. She sniffed.

"Is that the smell of you defecating?" she asked with utter disdain in her voice. She laughed and then shook her head in disgust. "You truly are pathetic Trunks."

Dropping his head back to the floor, she walked out of the room as casually as if she were going on a Sunday morning stroll. She left Trunks groaning in pain and rolling in his own excrement. She didn't even bother to look back.

A/N: Not many changes in this one or the next. I re-chaptered them and reformatted them, but nothing new was really added until the parts after chapter 20. The way everything is looking, the space battle ends around chapter 22 and the current new material I have ends up around 25. I might string it out a little, a long time ago I asked for a survey if the story should just end at chikyuu or continue back to where the story began... Imperia-sei. Right now, I have the Chikyuu ending done since it was the fastest most expediant way to finish. Let me know... Basically chapter 20 is ABMT Part 1 Ending, and Chapter 25 is Part 2 Ending,... The question is if you want a part 3...perhaps if there is significant interestI'll go ahead and fill in the missing holes.. Either waywe should be finished up here by the end of marchearly april. See you ..tommorow!


	19. Chapter Nineteen: Sour Tears

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Author: Cka3ka

Chapter 19: Sour Tears

_In the skies heading away from C.C._

Trunks' mind was clouded with rage and hurt. He couldn't believe that Pan would two time him like that. Yet, the proof was undeniable. He had stood there with Marron in shock for at least ten seconds. He had hoped to see her throw the man off of her; to see that the man's attentions hadn't been wanted. That had not happened. Instead, Pan had sat there accepting the kiss. There was only one conclusion that he could make.

As he flew towards a destination unknown he could feel tears coming to his eyes at the pain of betrayal. He had fallen hard for her. Never before in his life had he ever been so enamored with any female. It was like she was the perfect match for him. She was a Saiyan, and inherently loved to fight and to be challenged. She was classy, but down to Earth. She didn't look down on people without a reason, and had a kind gentle heart. Nevertheless, she was a person who would do what needed to be done. Moreover, she was beautiful and intelligent to boot. Trunks had truly thought he had found the right girl. However, it appeared she lacked two things that he couldn't live without: loyalty, and faithfulness. He wouldn't live with a woman whom he had to worry about cheating on him or whom he couldn't rely on with complete trust.

Suddenly he felt a power source behind him. He knew who it was, but he wasn't really sure that he even wanted to see her. There was no reason to after her little escapade. Once trust was broken it could never ever be made truly whole again. He put more ki into flying and he began to leave her behind. As he pulled away he felt her power increase to higher than he thought possible. She was approaching a million and the Super Saiyan limit. He could also tell that she was struggling at controlling that much ki. Second thoughts about what he was doing entered his mind. _Perhaps I should hear her out, _he thought. He could feel her tapping even more ki now to try to catch up. Trunks knew if she kept on doing it she would hurt herself. If she wanted to talk to him that badly he wasn't going to refuse. He still cared for her too much. Spotting a meadow in the vast expanse of forest below he stopped and slowly set down there to wait for her.

Trunks didn't have to wait long. Within five minutes Pan blasted into the meadow. She promptly fell to her knees and was panting from the exertion of going beyond her natural ki level. "Trunks…" she said with effort.

"I was worried that you might hurt yourself. Say what you have to say," he said. There was no emotion in his voice.

Pan looked up and saw that his blue eyes seemed to have frozen. They looked at her with such disinterest that it nearly broke her. Somehow she held on. "Trunks… It wasn't what it looked like. Please…"

Trunks just closed his eyes and felt his heart sink. Could she have thought of a more generic opening? There was no doubt in his mind that he saw exactly what he saw.

"Pan… I saw you kiss him for a long time. It wasn't as if he kissed you against your will. He couldn't have done that." He stopped for a moment and took a deep breath. He had to make a clean cut. "Thank you for showing me a wonderful time. I… I couldn't have made it back to Chikyuu without you and I really loved your company… I wish it could have turned out differently, but sometimes people aren't what we think they are. Good bye." Trunks slowly rose in the air and in a flash disappeared.

Pan just sat there with a stunned look on her face. Not a single movement was made. Had anyone been watching her they would have thought that she was a statue carved out of marble. As the meaning of his words slowly sank into her, she did what she had never done before. She broke. Tears began to stream from her eyes uncontrollably. She fell over onto her side and drew her knees slowly up to her chest. Sobs wracked her body as she felt as if her heart had been torn completely from her.

"Trunks…" she whispered into the thin night air with tears streaming down her cheeks. "It really wasn't what you thought…"

"Then what was it?" she heard his voice ask softly as if it were behind her. She didn't turn around to see. It was her imagination anyway.

"He… I had a crush on him when I was younger, and our families are close. He kissed me and I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to hurt his feelings, so I… so I ended up destroying something precious. How did I fall in love with you Trunks? How did I fall in love with a man I hardly know? A man with so many secrets?" she asked to herself out loud.

There was only silence. She felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her and pull her close. She felt the heat of a broad chest, and instinctively buried her face in it and cried.

* * *

Trunks had phased out and had begun to leave when he faltered in his resolve. He didn't want to leave her. _Am I overreacting?_ He asked himself. After all, it had just been a kiss and perhaps she had been telling the truth. Shaking his head he suppressed his ki and flew back down into the clearing.

He watched as Pan lost control of her emotions. He saw her crumple to the ground and sob uncontrollably. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to go to her; to take her into his arms and bring her comfort. Her tears were his. How can anyone watch someone they love, truly love, shatter as if they were made of delicate glass. There was only one thing Trunks could do. He went to her.

He slowly floated down to her. His sharp Saiyan hearing could hear her words to herself clearly. "Trunks… It really wasn't what you thought," she said in the softest whisper.

"Then what was it?" he asked. His voice equally as quiet.

"He… I had a crush on him when I was younger, and our families are close. He kissed me and I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to hurt his feelings, so I… so I ended up destroying something precious. How did I fall in love with you Trunks? How did I fall in love with a man I hardly know? A man with so many secrets.

Trunks didn't say anything. He slowly brought his arms around her and pulled her close. He felt her lean her head against his chest and sob. He could feel the hot tears seep through his thin shirt. "I'm sorry Pan…" He needed to comfort her, no matter if he was in the wrong or not, it was his place to do so. He realized that she was truly sorry for unwittingly hurting him. "I shouldn't have reacted like that."

"Trrunks?" she whispered as she looked up into his face. Her eyes were read with tears and her complexion completely ruined. Yet, Trunks couldn't help but find her utterly intoxicating, even more so then normal. "I…. It's you. Please don't go… I love you."

He didn't know what to say so he merely held her tighter and let his emotions speak. "Pan… I don't know why I feel this way towards you, but I do. I've fallen for you Pan so hard that it hurts to even see you in pain. I can't bear the idea of you with someone else… So I intend to make you…"

He didn't quite finish. Pan knew what he was going to say instinctively. He was going to make her his. Just as his father had made her mother his, just as Saiyans had courted each other for millennia. Trunks followed the call of his blood. At the same time so did Pan. She reached up and kissed him hard before he had a chance to finish his sentence. With a growl, she ripped his shirt from him as if it were a piece of tissue, exposing his sculpted chest to the cool night air. Her hands roamed freely explored his body. Looking up into his eyes, she gave into the lust and the passion that was coursing through her body like an unchecked fever.

So, deep in the woods of a remote part of Chikyuu, two lovers—perhaps fated, perhaps not—met in passionate affirmation of their newfound love for each other.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

Trunks Yamcha Briefs groaned in pain as he slowly stood up. His clothes were totally ruined from his own excrement. He was absolutely livid with rage. He was determined to have his revenge, and have that revenge soon. He hadn't intended Marron to be on the receiving end of his surprise but now he would make sure that she suffered. Slowly he dragged himself to where his jacket was and grabbed his keys. He quietly went up to his room and changed. He didn't have time to shower no matter how disgusting he felt at the moment.

Quietly he snuck into the garage where his car was and got in. He fired up the engine and took off casually. He didn't want the bitch of his mother finding out that he had left. Not that it would matter. She was going to be a recipient of his surprise also.

As he pulled away from Capsule Corporation he activated a communicator that he had been given earlier that day.

"Is everything in order?" came the brisk voice from the other line.

"Yes Prime Minister, everyone is at the compound. You can send them in whenever you are ready."

"Excellent. Dr. Myuu and the strike force are on their way. Well done, Mr. Briefs. You will meet me at the rendezvous point?"

"Yes, Prime Minister. I'll be there as soon as possible."

"Good. See you then."

It didn't occur to Trunks to mention that Pan and the purple haired youth had blasted out of Capsule Corporation earlier.

Marron had stormed out of the Capsule Building and onto the grounds that the party was held. She had stopped abruptly when Bulma had come up to her and asked her where Trunks was. She told her that she didn't know, but didn't miss Bulma's glance at her left ring finger where the engagement ring should have been. At least Bulma had the tact not to ask at the moment.

Now Marron stood at the edge of a circle of people who she had never met before. They were talking about some sporting event that she had absolutely no interest in. She was only there because she needed a few moments to collect herself before she went and confronted HIM. It was time for her to stop hiding from herself and admit the truth. Even if she was a cold-blooded murderer she knew that there were some people who knew her for what she truly was, and that was all that mattered. Finally gathering her courage she excused herself from the crowd of nobodies and went in search of Son Goten.

Interestingly enough, Goten was talking to Krillan and Eighteen when Marron approached him. Videl and Gohan were also standing next to them and participating in the conversation.

"Hey pumpkin," said Krillan as he saw his daughter walk up to them. "How's everything going?"

As all the eyes of everyone in the group swung towards her she could feel her stomach begin to flip. "Hi, Daddy. Every things ok now… Every thing is ok," she said a bit cryptically. She walked up and gave Krillan a kiss on the cheek and her mother as well.

"Marron, do you know where Pan went?" asked Gohan. "I don't like the way her ki skyrocketed like that and if she's not back in a few then I'm going to check on her."

"Gohan… Pan will be all right. She and Trunks have something to work out," she answered. "You don't need to go after them, and I think that would be a BAD idea."

"I don't like it… I don't like it at all," muttered Gohan. Luckily Videl was there with a firm hold on his arm. She smiled at Marron giving her a gesture of assurance that Gohan would take her advice one way or the other.

She turned and looked at Goten. Taking a deep breath she decided to broach the subject, "Goten. The Trunks' case will be a moot point after today… Either Pan will know everything or they won't be together anymore." She took a deep breath and looked over at her parents. They had been happy when she had come back, and she knew that the one thing she did enjoy about Chikyuu were them. But, it was time to go back to her life—the life she had forged for herself in blood and iron. "When you leave for space, I'll be going with you Goten."

The silence that rippled through the group was ear shattering. Everyone just looked at her, including Goten. He had expected it, but certainly not here. Goten gave her a hard look and when she her gaze didn't waver he nodded. He, like Bulma, glanced quickly over to her ring finger and Marron swore that she saw him smile faintly when he noticed that the ring was gone. "I'll have every-."

Suddenly she saw Goten's eyes widen in alarm. He was not the only one, it all happened in slow motion. Her peripheral senses gave her less than a second of warning as she felt a massive surge of ki. Before she knew it, she saw Gohan dive on top of Videl in an attempt to protect her. Her father did the same for her mother. In less than a second she felt the scorching heat of a ki blast strike.

The roar was deafening and the sheer force of the blast threw her off her feet. She could feel the force of not one, but tens of ki blasts being unleashed at Capsule Corporation. After what felt like hours she slowly staggered to her feet. Her clothes were tattered and she could feel that her right arm was useless. Looking around she saw that Gohan wasn't in much better shape. He rolled off Videl and it seemed that he was about to lose consciousness. Her father was out, and so was her mother. The blast had caught both of them unprepared.

Other than her, only Goten was still on his feet. He was bruised and battered, but otherwise he seemed ok as well. As for the other guests, most of the Z-fighters seemed to have survived. She could feel their ki, but they were definitely not in any sort of combat ready conditions. Of the non-warriors she was sure that most of them were dead, with the exception of Videl that she could tell. She didn't see Chichi or Goku anywhere. They had probably transported out just when the blasts hit.

"Greetings Duke de Sirrus and Chikyuu Guardians," came a voice from above them. Marron looked up to see a man with an orange mustache and wrinkled blue skin. He seemed to be quite aged. Behind him she saw three other blue skinned figures. These weren't old at all, and she could tell that they had enormous ki levels. They were no doubt Bojack's assassins. They were here to destroy the Chikyuu fighters before they could gather and fight back.

"Dr. Myuu…" said Goten as he straightened. Even in his tattered uniformed and obviously wounded he carried an aura around him. Just watching him she could only stand in awe as he seemed to radiate perfect confidence. He was truly the Iron Duke.

"It is most unfortunate that a man as great as yourself must be purged. Unfortunately you living would mean too many problems for the Emperor even if you were to swear for him," stated Dr. Myuu. He suddenly turned and looked at Marron. Though she had never met him before, he seemed to recognize her. "Ahhh… The Marchioness de Toulon, former commander of the purge squads. How convenient. I thought it would be quite difficult to hunt you down. Your reputation precedes you m'lady."

"Then you know that you have made a fatal error," snapped Marron.

"I think not. M'lord, M'lady… Goodbye." Dr. Myuu signaled to the three henchmen to begin their attack.

Marron summoned her ki level to its maximum for the first time in half a decade. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the golden aura of a Super Saiyan flair around Goten. They were out gunned and out-classed in ki level. This was not going to be a pretty fight.

* * *

_As the fighting was about to commence…_

Bulma Briefs strode through the corridors of Capsule Corporation. She was furious. Where the hell had her son gone? What did he think he was doing disappearing at a party that HE had thrown? Several people had already been asking about him. Moreover, she had just seen Marron storm out of Capsule Corp and she HAD noticed that Marron wasn't wearing her engagement ring. Something was going on and Bulma wanted to get to the bottom of it.

She had already been into several rooms and hadn't seen any sign of her son. Finally, she walked into the Amber room and looked around. At first she didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Just as she was about to leave, the position of the center figurine caught her eye. Her heart leapt in her chest as she noticed that it had been moved. No one knew about her laboratory, at least not since her father had died years ago. That somehow the figurine had moved meant that someone had found it. _Could Trunks have found it and been using it behind my back?_ She thought to herself. If he had, she'd have to punish him severely.

Slowly she walked over to the figurine and turned it again. The hidden door slid open and she walked in. Walking to the control panel she entered her code and checked who was the last person to have entered. The computer shouldn't have let anyone in except for her, but perhaps Trunks had found a way to bypass that. The data that appeared made her even angrier, _6:43 AM – Enter Bulma Briefs._ That meant that Trunks was impersonating her. That was absolutely intolerable. She quickly keyed in the entrance code and passed the retinal exam. Taking the elevator down, she stormed into the lab about to raise hell only to find that there was no sign of Trunks. Instead, at the computer counsel was a woman with blue hair. Bulma's eyes widened as she recognized the features. They were hers, except younger. The person sitting before her was her.

* * *

Mirai no Bulma sat in front of her counterpart's computer wading through the files on Saiyan biology. She was amazed at the sheer amount of information that the Bulma of this time had collected. Interestingly enough, much of it was dated within the last ten years. It was as if her counterpart had begun meticulously collecting data on Saiyans after Son Videl's election as the Mayor of Satan City. Mirai no Bulma had no idea who Videl was, but she definitely knew that Videl was related to the Son family.

_Why am I collecting data on Saiyan Biology? And what does it have to do with the Sons?_ She asked herself. She couldn't answer, but it didn't matter to her much anyway since the collection of data was definitely helping with Vegeta's healing process. In fact, she hadn't been sure if the regeneration tank would have even repaired such a fragile thing as spinal tissue and nerve endings. Luckily, with all the information she had to work with, she was sure that everything would be fine. Quickly glancing over to where the regeneration tank was, she smiled recalling the fine sculpted muscles that graced Vegeta's perfect body. The thought sent shivers up her spine. It was a good thing she had decided to cover up the tank, or she would probably have been standing there drooling over Vegeta. Now at least she could get some work done.

As the regeneration tank worked its magic on Vegeta, Bulma continued to browse through the various files on Saiyans just to make sure that everything was ok. Plus, she was interested in what her counterpart had uncovered. There was all types of information including the necessary strength of the moon for Saiyans to become Oozaru, measurements of the power level of Goku and Gohan, and also power projection charts. There was a file on their DNA makeup and cross comparisons with humans as well as other animals. In addition to that were Dr. Gero's old notes, as well as terabytes of observation files on the Saiyans.

Again she wondered why she was collecting this information. Finally, curiosity got the better of her and she began to actively search the information to see if she could figure out what was in her counterpart's mind. After about ten minutes she came across a heavily encrypted file. Bulma being Bulma, couldn't resist the challenge. Even better was the fact that this file was encrypted in an algorithm that she had never used in her time. It would be an interesting challenge.

She didn't know how long she had been at cracking the file, but it certainly had taken a while. However, she had finally unraveled the sequence and was quite pleased with herself, as well as her counterpart. It only went to show that great minds thought alike. With a triumphant smile on her face she opened the file. As she glanced at its contexts, she gasped, utterly appalled at what they contained. There before her was data on a specific virus with a specific protien structure she was all too familiar with. It was the virus that had killed Son Goku in her time. Scrolling down the screen she saw that, in this time, the virus was not natural. It had been created and by none other then herself.

"I can't believe I would do such a thing… How could I betray my friends like this?" she said. Distraught, she didn't hear the quiet 'swoosh' of a door opening.

After a few moments she decided it was time to check on Vegeta again. She slid her chair backwards only to be abruptly stopped. She felt a cold slim hand resting on her shoulder, followed immediately by a familiar poof and then a clicking sound, which causing her eyes to widen. Slowly she turned around, only to find herself looking into the barrel of an Uzi.

"Amazing… You look exactly like me ten years ago. What a remarkable clone," said her counterpart, Bulma Yamcha Briefs, as she looked appraisingly at the younger image of herself that sat before her. "So… would you like to tell me who you work for…? Red Ribbon? MacroHard? Enron?"

Despite being held at gunpoint, it took all of Mirai no Bulma's will to keep from assaulting her counterpart right there and then. She slowly calmed herself down and tried to assess the situation with a clear mind. It was obvious that her counterpart didn't know that Vegeta was here. Covering the regeneration tank had provided another boon then just letting her be able to work. All she had to do now was stall until Vegeta got out of the tank. It would only be ten minutes or so. The question was… how could she do it?

Bulma Yamcha Briefs glanced over Mirai no Bulma's shoulder and recognized the file that she was viewing. At first her face fell and it seemed that she truly regretted something. However, that moment passed and anger soon replaced sorrow. "I see… I guess Videl's cleverer than I thought if she figured out my trump card. I'm not surprised that she would try something like this before I was fully ready."

"I don't know who Videl is… but I can't believe you'd betray your friends like this… How could you possibly do such a thing?" seethed Mirai no Bulma.

"Betray?" Bulma looked confused for a second then shook her head. "Tsk tsk… What I do is none of your concern. It's obvious that you work for the Sons… now tell me who the hell you are, and how you found this place. If you don't, well…" The threat did not need to be expressed; it was obvious as Bulma Briefs leveled the gun at her younger self.

"If you think I'm going to tell anything to a treacherous bit…" Mirai no Bulma never got to finish her sentence. Pain exploded in her shoulder as a bullet embedded itself there. She cried out in pain and hit the ground clutching her shoulder. Crimson blood slowly seeped through her shirt and onto the floor leaving a reddish brown color on the laboratory floor.

"That wasn't the right answer. Now… I'll give you another chance. The next bullet goes into your head," stated Bulma Briefs flatly. "I want to know who you are and how you got in here."

Mirai no Bulma grit her teeth. She willed herself to block out the pain and she turned and spat at her counterpart. "I'm you, you dumb bitch. How else do you think I knew this lab existed and the codes to get into here?" said Mirai no Bulma through gritted teeth. "16-4-62270-794. The age I was when I met Goku, the four star dragon ball, and how many Employees Capsule corps had in 794. Oh yeah, and I know that you wet your bed when you were 14 because you drank too much hi-c that night when you went over to your classmates birthday party."

Bulma Yamcha Briefs blinked her eyes in disbelief. "Intriguing… you are me? I'd almost believe that if I didn't know it was impossible."

"Obviously you aren't much of a genius. Dimensional travel. I invented it… so I am you," said Mirai no Bulma. Her mind was racing. She had to stall for time so that Vegeta could get out of the tank.

It worked. If anything were to stall Bulma Briefs, it was a new scientific principle that she didn't know existed. Both Mirai no Bulma and her counterpart in the present timeline, despite their differences, still shared the same obsession with knowledge. It didn't matter if it was a new type of glucose to make candy or fusion power, if she didn't know it she'd want to.

"That's absurd!" cried Bulma Yamcha Briefs. "You'd have to be able to travel faster than the speed of light, and then you'd have to be able to 'rip' apart the time space continuum. It can't be done! I don't believe you."

"How else can you explain me? I'm sitting right in front of you and you can ask me anything and I'll tell you… at least up to the point where our timelines diverge."

The Bulma of this timeline looked thoughtful for a second. "No… I don't think I need to do that. In fact, you've won me over. I believe you." Bulma slowly leveled the gun at her alternative counterpart. "Sorry… but it looks like I'm going to have to kill you now. I can't have someone who knows as much about me as you do allying themselves with the Sons. Nothing personal."

"If you kill me, you won't ever find out if dimensional travel exists."

"Ahhh… Appealing to my curiosity. Yes, you do know me too well. But I don't care about dimensional travel. Anyway, if you really are me then if you can do it, so can I. Goodbye."

And for Mirai no Bulma, there was nothing more than a blinding flash of light before the world went dark.

* * *

_Outside…_

Goten stood facing his opponents in a resplendent golden aura. Next to him Marron was shrouded in a wreath of blue flame; her golden hair floating gently from the wind generated by the two warriors. Before them stood Bojack's assassins who were accompanied by Dr. Myuu.

"Dr. Myuu. Treachery against the Emperor is punishable by death. It seems to me that I must carry out the sentence," stated Goten. Rage danced behind his turquoise eyes as he stared up at the orange mustached Doctor who had led the assault on Capsule Corp. Goten didn't even need to look to know that all of the non-ki users were dead with the possible exception of Videl who wad been protected by his brother. Myuu would pay for this act. He swore it to himself. "Even if it were not so, you would be put to death for the despicable attack here."

"Duke de Sirrus, you have no idea what you face. Farewell. Zangya, Bidu, Bujin. Dispose of them. I shall await you at the rendezvous points." With that said, Dr. Myuu activated a black square shaped device and vanished.

Goten and Marron carefully assessed the situation. It didn't look good. He was confident that if there were only two of them they could have won. He cast a glance at Marron and she met his look. She gave him a weak smile.

"Well… We have to try, yes?" Humor laced her voice. She, too, had come to the same conclusion as he had. They both knew that survival was a remote chance. He acknowledged her with a nod and the two of them, knowing that death was near, reached out gathered as much ki as they could possibly handle.

Before they even had a chance to launch their first attack they suddenly felt their arms and legs bound. Red ki thread came forth from Bujin and Zangya entwining them, and slowly sapping their energy. Bidu slowly floated forward with a cocky smirk on his face.

"You are nothing compared to us," he laughed. "The legendary Duke isn't so legendary after all." He pulled back his fist and powered up intending to send Goten to his death with a single blow.

That blow never landed. Goten watched as Bidu was struck from above and sent crashing down into the earth below.

"I don't know who you people are… but you are to leave this planet now or I won't be responsible for what happens to you," came a voice tinged with rage. With two blasts of ki energy Son Goku sliced through the wires that were binding Marron and Goten.

"Dad!"

Son Goku smiled at his son. "These guys don't seem to want to fight fair. I thought I'd even up the odds." He turned back to his opponents. "Well?"

Zangya laughed and then tapped something on her wrist. Her answer came back in the response of a massive ki blast which forced the three Chikyuu Guardians to dodge.

"This isn't going to be easy… but I haven't had a good fight in a long time," remarked Goku to Goten. Goku seemed to be as excited about the fight as he was outraged by the atrocity that these minions of Bojack had committed.

"This will definitely not be easy…" replied Goten. "Let's get started."

Within seconds the battle was on. Goku battled Bujin the mystic, Goten fought Bidu, and Marron and Zangya squared off against each other. Little did they know, the battle would end up to be remarkably one sided.

* * *

_A long distance away on Planet Chikyuu…_

Mirai no Trunks had gotten lucky. Every time he looked down at the naked form that was, even now, cuddling against him, he couldn't help but feel lucky. Pan truly was a beautiful woman. She was intelligent, witty, and beautiful to boot. There were things he didn't know about her, and he knew she wanted to know more about him. It would all be over soon and the two of them could put everything on the table. He was a little concerned at Pan's possible reaction, but he was sure that it wouldn't adversely affect their budding relationship. After all, him being Saiyan should, after she got over her initial pique of course, make him even that much more attractive. At least, that was what he hoped.

"You look worried," came her voice. It was soft and still a bit husky. "I'm not going to get pregnant." The smile on her face told him that it was a joke, or at least he thought it was.

"I'm not worried about that… It's the fact that I haven't been totally honest with you. I promise I'll tell you everything but I just feel guilty for not having done it already," he said.

"Oh… Trunks, I can wait. I think I know everything I need to already. The past doesn't really matter does it?" Pan bit her lip as a shiver of anxiety ran through her. Her question wasn't meant to just reassure him, but herself as well. After all, there were things in the past, things that she had done, that would undoubtedly shock him. Worse, there were things that she would probably have to do in the future that would not go over well with him.

She didn't want to think about it. She would live in the present and take joy in every second that they could be together. Slowly she leaned upwards and kissed him softly on the lips. Her hands wrapped around him and she pulled his naked form closer to him and slowly began to rub herself against him. Her ministrations elicited a soft groan from him and she began to move her hands downwards. She continued to kiss him when she grasped him in her hand. Without warning she felt him stiffen.

"Pan… Pan I feel something," he rasped.

"I sure hope you feel something," she said pushing herself back a little so she could look him in the eyes. She didn't think she could get enough of those deep blue eyes.

"Pan. Stop… Something is wrong. Don't you feel that?" He pushed her off and stood up. His eyes stared towards the direction of Capsule Corporation, his brows furrowed in concentration.

It was as if she heard a loud clap of thunder. Yet, it wasn't thunder it was a sensation of ki that seemed to overwhelm her. She recognized the golden aura of a super Saiyan, but against that super Saiyan were three power sources that even she could tell were stronger.

"Trunks we have to get back to Capsule Corps. Something is going on there."

"Pan… I don't think…" He shut his mouth. He knew that she was not powerful enough to go against whomever these warriors were that were battling against Goten. Yet, he was smart enough to realize there was no way she would remain behind, not with her family in danger. His only choice was to bring her and protect her from anything that they came across. "Ok… never mind. Let's go."

Pan had already dressed having thrown just her blouse and pants on. She looked raggedy, but it wouldn't matter in the coming fight. Trunks quickly did the same and the two of them blasted off into the sky towards Capsule Corps knowing that they might just be too late.

A/N:Sorry this took me so long to post. Tried posting it yesterday but kept giving me errors. Please leave a review and let me know what you think. review responses coming next chap... life's a hectic atm.


	20. Chapter Twenty: Eye of the Tiger

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to _Rocky _theme song on repeat and then read this chapter. .

Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 20: The Eye of the Tiger

_In the Capsule Corps Laboratory…_

Mirai no Bulma slowly pulled herself up with her one good arm. She cast a look around the laboratory and saw that it was in total ruin. Parts of the ceiling had collapsed and rubble was scattered across the floor, the parts that could still be considered a floor. The room itself was almost completely dark. Sparks from loose wires and the flickering of some of the lights that somehow had remained intact gave off enough light so that she could make out the fallen form of her counterpart. Slowly she staggered over to check on the woman, all the while clutching her shoulder. To her dismay her wound was still bleeding and she could feel herself feeling a bit light headed from blood loss. Deciding that the condition of the Bulma of this time didn't quite matter to her, Mirai no Bulma pulled herself along to where the regeneration tank was. To her relief, it was still intact and though power was cut off to it, Vegeta's vital signs were still strong. Ignoring her own pain she felt for the latch that would shut down the tank, and revive him.

It took several minutes of groping in the dark to find the proper lever. Once she pulled it, she sat down on the floor and watched the tank slowly drain itself of the DNA fluid. She watched with satisfaction, and a little bit of anxiety as Vegeta's eyes slowly opened. After all, she had no idea how he was going to react to seeing the devastation. Who knew what Vegeta would do?

With a hiss the door to the tank opened, and Vegeta stepped out. A frown appeared on his face as he surveyed the room and saw the remains of what once had been an immaculately clean lab.

"What the hell happened here woman?" he asked in tone that blended a reprimand as if the destruction were her fault with a bit of wry humor and concern. Displeased with the lighting of the room, he created a small ki ball and let it float up to light the room. It was then that he noticed the wound on Bulma. Whatever amusement he had been feeling vanished.

Bulma noticed his change of demeanor and laughed wearily, then staggered. Vegeta immediately reached out to steady her. "The me of this universe decided that there should be only one of me."

"She will die at my hands," stated Vegeta flatly. Fury danced in his eyes and Bulma could see his black eyes slowly turning turquoise.

"Help me over there, Vegeta," she said gesturing with her head to a corner of the room. "I always keep a few Senzu there and it'll patch me right up."

Vegeta picked Bulma up and tossed her over his shoulder and started to pick his way across the ruble to the area she had indicated.

"VEGETA! Put me down… I said help me over there, not carry me like a sack of potatoes over there."

"Woman, if you don't shut up I'll dump you like your sack of potatoes, whatever those are." As he reached the corner, he let her down and began to look through the shattered desk that was there for the Senzu.

Bulma walked up and softly pushed him away. She reached under the desk and opened moved aside a panel in the floor. "This is super reinforced titanium. It's designed to resist even the impact of a Super Saiyan. In my time, Gohan helped me test it, and I created the time machine out of it. I also put it in here just in case so that there would always be some Senzu around for emergencies. Not that there were any Senzus left in my time."

Reaching down, she pulled out a familiar looking bag. Opening it, she reached in and popped a bean out and then ate it. She closed her eyes as a warm feeling surged through her body re-energizing, and healing all the injuries including the bullet wound. "I'll guess I'll have to have the bullet itself removed later," she said non-chalantly. Turning she saw that Vegeta wasn't paying attention to her at all anymore. Instead his brow was furrowed and it seemed that he was concentrating on something elsewhere.

"Vegeta? What is it Vegeta?" she asked worriedly.

"There is a battle going on out there. I sense it… This place must have been destroyed by a stray ki blast." He turned to her and held out his hand. "Come woman, we must leave."

"What about the Bulma of this time? She's not dead Vegeta and we can't just leave her down here."

"We can, and we will. After I annihilate those pathetic cronies of Bojack's I can come back and take the pleasure of killing her slowly."

_Shit…_thought Bulma_, Out of the frying pan and into the fire. _Bulma, finally just shook her head and took Vegeta's hand. She felt his ki explode and envelop her in a dazzling golden aura. Then the two of them were shooting upwards towards the surface, and into what both of knew was a raging firefight not knowing, or perhaps forgetting about the little shop of horrors that was the laboratory of Bulma Yamcha Briefs.

* * *

_In the skies above Capsule Corps…_

The upper class suburb that had once sprawled across the area where the Capsule Compound had been was devastated. Now, instead of rich green lawns, large craters criss-crossed the scorched earth in this part of West Capitol. As for the Capsule Compound itself, there was nothing left of it except smoldering ruins from stray ki blasts that had struck it during the titanic battle that was taking place in the skies above.

"Kyaaaaa," shouted Goku as he summoned more ki to deflect a blast from Bujin. The pre-eminent Saiyan was, amazingly, being hard pressed in his fight against the diminutive blue skinned mystic. He didn't understand why he was having such a hard time. His senses told him that Bujin's ki level wasn't as powerful as his own, but every time he struck or was struck, it seemed that something was amplifying his power. His Gi was torn to shreds and his body was covered in bruises. A quick glance around told him that his second son was being pummeled by Bidu, and was just barely holding on. Marron as well as being hard pressed, but the two of them were hardened veterans of countless of battles and fought like demons possessed despite being outclassed.

He felt rather than saw another ki blast coming and he turned to deflect it. For the umpteenth time in this fight he felt as if wire strands suddenly snared him and was struck backwards by the ki blast. Yet, he was Son Goku. The warrior that did not lose and he bounced back again and launched a flurry of attacks against his opponent. Again, as had been happening throughout the battle, the little blue fellow seemed to absorb his attacks without taking much damage at all. The fight was becoming more and more one sided.

On the other side of the battle Marron landed on the ground with a sickening crunch. Slowly she dragged herself up from the newly formed crater. Her blond hair was scorched and she was bleeding from dozens of wounds. Worse, she knew she had several cracked ribs and her left wrist was shattered. She wouldn't last more than five minutes if Zangya pressed her assault. She, like Goku, couldn't understand how their opponents were winning so handily. They didn't seem to be that powerful, yet their blows were much more powerful than hers.

_Five years of sloth…_her mind screamed at her. _You've spent five years on Chikyuu getting soft. Of course you wouldn't be able to beat any competent opponent._

It was unfair. Just when she had made up her mind to again live life to the fullest, to be with the one she truly loved, to bend fate to her own will, she was going to die. Despair wasn't an emotion that she had often experienced, but now she could feel it welling up deep inside her. Tears threatened to spill forward, but they never got the chance. Zangya appeared before her and struck her three more times sending her already battered body sprawling across the ground.

Barely holding onto consciousness, Marron was only able to push herself up onto her knees. She didn't remain there for long as another body impacted into her knocking her over. As she staggered up again she saw Goten lying on the ground panting. He too was badly wounded and near death. In fact, he didn't even have the energy to get up. He simply lay limply on his back. Marron slowly crawled over to him. She touched him softly on the cheek and bent down and kissed him on the forehead.

"I'm sorry Goten… I never should have left…" she whispered. Tears slowly flowed from her now, and they slid down her cheek dripping onto him. "Why is it that we only see clearly before death?" Goten didn't respond. He simply reached over and squeezed her hand with his.

Goku disengaged from his battle for a moment when he felt Marron's and Goten's ki drop dramatically. He fired off a blast at his opponent to give himself an opening to disengage. Seeing Bidu dropping back to dodge his attack, Goku brought two fingers to his forehead and teleported.

He appeared in front of Marron and Goten right before another ki blast struck them. It took almost all his effort to deflect that blast. Yet, though Goku was also bruised and battered, he was far from being finished. He turned and was about to ask them if they were ok, but with one look at Marron's face he could see that despair had settled in. They were expecting to die and the two former lovers, nay lovers, wanted to die together. He would not allow it. His bright turquoise eyes hardened with determination. He would not allow his son to die, not when he knew the pain that he had gone through to provide others happiness. No, he would allow his son to experience joy as well… even if he had to die doing it.

Above Goku the three alien assassins of Bojack had gathered together. Goku could see that all three of them were powering up for a massive ki attack to finish all three of the earth defenders. He knew that he had this one shot of destroying them. Bringing his hands behind him, he began to summon as much ki as he could. And at the same time the three aliens released an enormous blast of red ki energy Goku unleashed his Kamahameha in a last ditch effort to win.

The two massive bolts of energy collided with each other a thousand meters above the surface of the earth. For a second it seemed that the blue blast from Goku pushed the large red death ball back. Then that second ended and the sphere of pure red ki slowly began its inexorable march downwards. Goku seeing this gave a cry of determination and threw himself into stopping the ki with all his might, all his being. His aura crackled as he pushed himself beyond his limits and amazingly the sphere stopped and slowly began to move back along its flight path gathering speed as it went.

It was then that Goku realized that there was a presence next to him. Another golden aura had joined him and was now feeding ki into a blast that melded with his to drive the death ball upwards, straight into their opponents enveloping them in a fiery explosion.

Panting, Goku turned and looked to see who could have aided him. The ki had felt familiar but it wasn't one that he recognized as being one of the Chikyuu guardians.

"Kakkaroto," a deep bass rang as Vegeta's gaze swiveled to the younger Saiyan. "Your life belongs to me Kakkaroto. Did you forget this? None are allowed to take your life save me."

It had been thirty years since Goku had last seen his greatest rival. He noted that Vegeta had changed over the years. His face was more hardened, but there seemed to be a small glimmer of hope and happiness in his eyes. Other than that he was still the same short stocky warrior as always.

"Ahhhh… Vegeta…" Goku broke into a genuine smile. "I guess I forgot… It's been thirty years."

Vegeta simply grunted and looked upwards to where the dust was clearing up from the explosion. "Woman… Give Kakkarot one of those beans. This is far from over."

It was then that Goku noticed that Vegeta wasn't alone. A buxom blue haired woman that he should have recognized stood next to him with a bag in her hands.

He stared. She stared. For him it was a shock to see a younger version of Bulma Briefs. For Mirai no Bulma, it was the shock of seeing a man, whom she had considered a brother, alive for the first time in almost twenty years. Slowly she walked over and placed one of the Sensu beans into Goku's hand. Not being able to help herself, she threw her arms around him and gave him a vicious hug. Tears fell from her eyes as she looked at him. She loved this man. Memories of their great dragon ball hunt, and the insane adventures that they had shared together welled up in her mind and her tears became sobs. This was why she had sent Trunks back into time instead of going herself. Meeting Vegeta again had been intensely emotional, and now seeing Goku again was nearly as bad.

Vegeta said nothing as he watched Bulma cry in Goku's arms. There was, of course, a little pang of jealousy, but he also understood. She had watched all her loved ones die, and he knew exactly what that felt like. He, too, had watched his mother, father, and all his subjects die. He, too, had been helpless in doing anything. Unfortunately, even though he understood, he had to stop her. Kakkarot couldn't be distracted from this upcoming fight, and there time was running short. The three minions of Bojack were already studying them and gauging their power levels. They could attack any second and he wanted to make sure that she was safe.

"Woman, enough of this pathetic emotional display," snapped Vegeta. His voice was sharp and to the point. "Give the last bean to the brats."

Bulma stiffened when she heard his voice, but then she also understood Vegeta. Drying her tears she pushed away from Goku, but not before giving him a peck on the cheek. "You don't know what it's like for me seeing you again Goku… I'm sorry about my little display."

Goku just smiled. He was rather baffled by Bulma's action. His gut told him that this was Bulma before him, but he had just spoken to her earlier that day, and she was a heck of a lot younger than a few hours ago. She was also real. She didn't seem to hide her emotions or put on a false front like she usually did. Maybe it was Vegeta's presence thought Goku.

"Don't worry about it Bulma… Just stay here and keep your head down," he said while at the same time giving Vegeta a quizzical look. It was one of the 'what the hell is going on' expressions that people have when they are totally confused. Vegeta simply smirked in response.

"I'll explain everything later Goku," she said when she caught the look that Goku gave Vegeta. For now, she knelt down and broke the last Senzu in half. She gave half to Goten and half to Marron, both of whom had not noticed that they were still, for some reason, alive. Instead, they were totally absorbed in each other, still waiting for death. Bulma had to forcibly make the two of them ingest the beans. Instantly she could see the beans working their magic and the wounds start to disappear from the two.

"Whatt?" Marron blinked as she noticed that she was able to move without feeling excruciating pain. Her wounds weren't totally gone but were healed enough so that she was able to stand without help.

Goten, too, stood up without any aid. Though when he glanced over to see who had helped him he nearly fell over again. He was completely taken by surprise to see Bulma Briefs standing there giving him a look of genuine concern. As far as he was aware of, Bulma hadn't given a damn about anyone since he had been fifteen or so.

"Are you two alright?" asked Bulma.

"Fine… Bulma?" replied Marron hesitantly. She, too, was confused at Bulma's actions. Not only that, but also Bulma looked a lot younger than she did this morning. Her mind was trying to cope, unsuccessfully, with what was going on. _I might still be unconscious and just be dreaming,_ she thought to herself. _Bulma Briefs genuinely concerned about someone. It has to be a dream._

"Brats," came a voice that she recognized and in a tone that she reacted to instantly with obedience.

"Thy bidding, Master," shot both her and Goten simultaneously. In instant later, they both blinked in shock that Vegeta was here on Earth.

"Stay here and protect her. Kakkarot and I will deal with these weaklings while you recover your strength," commanded Vegeta.

"Mas…"

"No arguments." Vegeta looked at his two young apprentices. They had grown into two of the most powerful and intelligent warriors in the universe. No matter what happened to him, he wanted them and Bulma to live. "If we are losing, I want you to take Bulma and withdraw."

"Vegeta!" snapped Bulma. "I'm not going anywhere. Don't you dar…"

He placed a finger on her lips to shush her. Slowly he leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. It had the desired affect. Bulma was completely stunned. Vegeta with a public display of affection was something… completely mind blowing.

He pulled back and smiled at her. Kissed her again on the forehead and without another word he powered up and blasted up into the sky.

"I think you guys should do what Vegeta said. If something happens, Goten get your brother, Videl and everyone else to safetly," said Goku. He turned and smiled at them and then he, too, powered up and blasted off after Vegeta.

Marron and Goten didn't quite hear what Goku said. The two of them were, quite frankly, floored by Vegeta's actions. It took them a moment to shake off their shock and the two of them began to examine the woman that somehow had captured their Emperor in a way that no one ever had before.

Bulma was oblivious to their scrutiny. Staring at the sky where two golden auras were approaching three red ones, she could only hope that everything turned out for the best. For some reason, though, she had a feeling of Déjà vu.

* * *

_Outskirts of West Capitol…_

"TRUNKS!" shouted Pan as the two of them sped over the highways that led from Capitol City. Below them the streets were jam packed with cars and people on foot trying to escape the battle that was raging further west in the suburbs.

Trunks slowed down slightly allowing Pan to catch up. His anxiety level had slowly begun to climb as he had been approaching the city. At this point they were almost through the roof. He wanted to move faster, but he didn't want to leave Pan behind either.

His senses were telling him that the Chikyuu defenders were losing to whoever was attacking. Though that was worrisome it was not until he felt the ki's of TWO Bulma's that his heart really had begun pounding. He nearly had a seizure when he felt the ki's wink out for a second, and had almost left Pan behind. Luckily, it had only been for a moment and he felt his mother's ki return to normal. As if he didn't have enough to worry about, he also felt that his father's ki there. In fact, his father's ki was very close to his mother's so he could only assume that they were together. Moreover, he feared for Pan's safety. He knew that she stood no chance against their opponents and he wanted to tell her to stay behind. However, he knew that would be a really bad idea and he swore to himself that he would protect her.

"TRUNKS!" shouted Pan again. It really bothered her that Trunks could fly faster than she could even though her senses told her that he had a lower power level. That meant was that he was hiding his true power level and was more powerful than she was. She knew she could accept that. However, she was a little upset that he had hid it from her for so long. A part of her, the rational part, kept telling her that 'Look he didn't know you. Why would he reveal his true strength to you?' On the other hand, the more emotional part of her mind screamed that he loved her didn't he? He should have spilled the damn beans the moment he set eyes on her.

"Pan?" His voice brought her out of her emotional turmoil and reminded her that she wanted to know what was going on.

"Do you know who's fighting? I can guess that it's my uncle and grandfather. There was a third power source I don't recognize, but it's huge. As powerful as a Super Saiyan."

"It was Goten, Goku, and I don't know the third source either. It flickers in and out… sometimes it's as powerful as a Super Saiyan and sometimes its not even there. Don't worry; your father and mother are ok. I can still sense them," he said guessing the true reason behind her quesiton. "I don't know who they are fighting, but their enemies are strong… maybe stronger."

There was relief on Pan's face when she heard his words. Then, when she realized what he said she frowned. "What do you mean by 'it was'?" she asked.

"Goten's and the third ki are still there but they aren't fighting… Now it's Goku and my father battling the enemy," he answered, not realizing that he made a slip.

_His father?_ Pan reached out with her senses to see if she could recognize the power sources. She felt her grandfather since he was the strongest power in the area… then she felt another power and it felt very familiar to her. The surprise that came when she made the connection caused her to stop in mid-flight. She knew that other power source, she knew it very well.

"Pan?" asked Trunks as he, too, stopped. He saw the wide-eyed look of awe and disbelief that she was giving him and couldn't help but wonder if he had said something wrong.

"Nothing Trunks," she replied as she powered up again and blasted off towards the direction of the fight. Trunks did the same and pondered briefly on what could have caused Pan to stop. It didn't last long, because they were fast approaching the battleground and he pushed those thoughts aside to prepare for the upcoming battle.

Pan, on the other hand, couldn't get his words out of his head. _He said that his father was fighting now… and I know that power source… That is the Emperor's power signature… His father is Vegeta._ As she flew behind him she couldn't help but look at Trunks in a new light. She began to understand his desire for secrecy… the bastard child of the Emperor and by Bulma Briefs of all people. She chuckled to herself. _Pan, you've fallen for one interesting guy… yes indeed you have.

* * *

_

_The raging battle…_

Vegeta smirked as he dodged another blast by Bidu, the large muscle builder alien that had been fighting Goten. He knew he was more powerful than his opponent and was relishing toying with him. He could see the man's growing frustration and found it amusing. Taking a moment to glance at Goku's battle, he frowned at the site. Goku was now handling Bujin and Zangya both at the same time. Though he was being made to work and was powered up almost as far as he could, he was still winning. Kakkarot was still more powerful than him, and even though he had come to terms with that a long time ago, a part of him was still rather bitter about it. This had unfortunate consequences, but not for Goku or Vegeta. Rather, Bidu happened to be nearby and a good outlet for Vegeta's anger and frustration. In seconds, the big blue man was being beaten rather badly as Vegeta smashed into him again and again. Finally, in a extreme moment of rage, Vegeta powered up and crushed him with a heavy two handed blow from above that sent him crashing into the ground above. There was simply nothing like violence to make a Saiyan feel better when he's in a bad mood.

On the other side of the battle, at the same time Vegeta sent Bidu crashing into the ground below, Goku struck Bujin into a cliff with a backhand when the little mystic attempted to break through his guard. Turning he blasted Zangya into a cliff as she tried to trap him with ki bindings.

"Well this is like old times Vegeta… we haven't fought together in a long time," said Goku as he floated over to where Vegeta was.

"Spare me the platitudes Kakkarot," scowled Vegeta. Taking a look at the younger Saiyan he noticed that he was breathing a little more heavily than he should have for the level of exertion that he showed. He, himself, also felt a little short of air. "Kakkarot, is it just me or do you feel a bit winded."

Goku nodded as each breath he took became shorter and shorter. He also started to scratch his left breast right above the heart as if there was an incredibly itch there. Vegeta, also, felt the same urge and he knew at that moment that something was dreadfully wrong. As usual, things got from bad to worse as the three aliens came hurtling toward them to engage for a second round.

Bulma, Goten and Marron knew something was wrong. At first they could tell that Vegeta and Goku were stomping Bojak's minions into the ground. Then, all of a sudden it seemed that their Ki began to fluctuate and begin to lower. Goten and Marron watched worriedly as they saw Goku and Vegeta take blow after blow when they should have been able to block.

"Something is wrong…" said Marron. "They should be able to block those easily… I don't know why they aren't."

"What's going on?" asked Bulma as she peered in the direction Marron was. Unfortunately she could only see the auras and not the actual blows as her eyes weren't trained for the speed that the combat was taking place in. "Why are they losing now when they were winning?"

"I don't know… They shouldn't be. They seem to be sluggish and Vegeta seems to be scratching at his chest at times… Dad too," said Goten.

"What? Did you just say he was scratching at his chest? Sluggish?" gasped Bulma as her eyes widened. She suddenly realized what was going on. It was the heart virus. It had to have been in the laboratory in some type of containment unit and when the lab was breached the virus must have escaped. "Oh my god…"

"Bulma?" asked Goten as he saw that she was near panic.

"It's the heart virus… oh my god it's the virus. We have to get them to a medical treatment center and fast. We only have a few hours otherwise they will be dead."

"What are you talking about Bulma?" Both Goten and Marron were worried now, but they didn't know this Bulma and both instinctively distrusted her. With good reason as the Bulma of this time was worthy of their distrust.

"The heart virus… the me of this time created a virus to kill the Saiyans and it was in her laboratory when I took the collar off of Vegeta. It existed in my time as well, but I created a cure for it." Bulma spluttered all this out within seconds and when she saw the hesitation in Marron and Goten's eyes she decided that she had to act. "Look… We have to get them to a medical center. They are losing the fight and I'm telling you now that if they keep fighting they will die. We have to do something."

"Ok," said Goten as he picked up Bulma and flew off to get closer to the battle. Marron followed right behind them.

It took only moments for them to get right underneath the battle. Goten flared into Super Saiyan and blasted off to take some pressure off of Goku and Vegeta. A minute or two later Goku came crashing onto the ground and fell out of Super Saiyan form. He screamed in pain as he clutched at his chest.

Bulma ran over to Goku and forced him lay on the ground. She felt his forehead and looked at the way he was grabbing at his chest and was sure that it was the heart virus. A moment later Marron brought Vegeta over who was equally in pain. He had the exact same symptoms.

"Bulma what's going on?"

"It's a virus… a disease… Is there any chance we can… break away form the fighting? Can we get them to a medical center?" asked Bulma frantically as she popped open her capsule case and encapsulated a small medical kit.

Marron just looked up at the sky where Goten was fighting the three aliens alone and shook her head. "Goten can't hold off for long and even if I take all three of you they will catch up."

Bulma nodded without looking up. She was frantically searching through the medkit until she came upon a small bottle. "YES!" she cried. It was an extra bottle of the heart medicine that she had sent back in time with Trunks. She had always kept it with her just in case Trunks came down with it. Opening the bottle she walked over and gave half to Goku and half to Vegeta. "Ok we have some more time but they can't fight. If they use ki their metabolism will burn the medicine that much faster… we have to get them to a medical facility before the virus goes into its second stage."

"Bulma…" gasped Vegeta as he staggered up.

"Lay down Vegeta…"

"Bulma get out of here… leave…"

"No way Vegeta… I'm not leaving you now that I have a second chance with you. You don't understand what my life has been like. I'd rather die then live like that again." She could almost see tears in his eyes at her words. He was pleased, she could tell.

"Marron," he said as he stood and began to power up. "Take her… Get the other brat and get out of here."

"MARRON!" came Goten's voice as he blurred right above them and intercepted a ki blast that was heading there way. "Get them out of here now!"

"Brat..." "Goten…"

However, it was too late. Already Bujin, Bidu, and Zangya stood before them with smiles on their faces.

"How sweet… It looks like they all get to die together," laughed Bidu. "Saiyans really are a pathetic race."

Bulma looked up and saw that they had no chance for escape. _Oh well…_she thought. Kneeling next to Vegeta she took his hand in her hand and gave him a smile. _The last few weeks have been the happiest in my life._ She was at least grateful for that.

"You should be careful about who you call pathetic," came a man's voice that she hadn't heard in about the same time she had been with Vegeta. A Ki blast that forced the three minions to scattered punctuated the man's point.

It was like the battle with Frieza. Trunks Vegeta Briefs landed and stood between Marron and Goten who were about to lay down their lives in a last desperate attempt to battle off the three. Pan landed next to him.

"Trunks... Pan," said Goten sadly. "Damnit you two shouldn't have come."

"Don't worry Mr. Son," said Trunks politely and with perfect calm. "Everything will be alright."

Goten wasn't the only one who shot Trunks a disbelieving look. Everyone except his mother was slightly taken aback at his confidence.

"Who the hell is that?" gasped Vegeta as he struggled to get onto his feet. He gasped in pain and fell over clutching at his chest. His eyes were glued to Trunks.

"That's my son… that's Trunks Vegeta Brief," said Bulma quietly into his ear. She smiled when he nodded and she wrapped her arms around him in an attempt to comfort him in his pain.

"Mom are you ok?" he asked as he walked over to his mother.

Pan was shocked at his declaration. He had been right all along. She really hadn't believed that his mother was Bulma Briefs until just now. It was then she felt a power surge as Zangya fired a blast at them. It was powerful enough to smash through the defenses of a weakened Goten who was the only fighter that still had enough power to deflect it. She was the only one who could hope to block it, but before she could act, Trunks whirled and flicked his wrist in an absurdly nonchalant manner to deflect the blast with an unseen blast of ki.

"Trunks… I'm fine but Goku and your father aren't. You have to hurry so we can get them to a medical center. It's the heart virus."

"Ok… just give me a minute to take out the trash," he said to his mother. Then turning to Pan, "Can you stay here and help my mom get Goku and my father ready to leave?" It was more an order than a question. Pan frowned and was about to say something when she noticed that he wasn't paying attention to her at all. She saw that his face had hardened into that of a battle scarred warrior. It was something new to her but not for Bulma. She had seen it once right before he had been about to go back into the past and Cell had come creeping up on them.

Trunks floated slowly up to where the three warriors were waiting for him. "I'd give you a chance to leave, but that's more Goku's style. I take after my father and since I'm in a hurry you best prepare to meet your maker. I'll give you ten seconds."

"Boy do you think you can defeat us?" laughed Bujin. "How absurd. Your Saiyan friends stood no chance… and you think you do?"

"Let me show you the power of a Saiyan," smirked Trunks. He flared into the first level of Super Saiyan as those words left his mouth. He could almost feel the shock that was running through the minds of the watchers below. It was just like when he had exploded into Super Saiyan when he had gone back in time to give Goku the heart medicine. He was sure he was going to shock them again when he dispatched these three like he did Frieza.

With a cry of rage he let his emotions flood through him and began the accession to level 2. Clouds gathered and blocked out the sun on what had been a clear day. Golden flashes of lightening began to streak across the sky, and hurricane strength winds began to whirl around Trunks. His golden aura pulsed and then exploded outwards and when he was finished blue lightening crackled around him.

"Time's up," said Trunks simply.

Trunks could see the fear in the eyes of the assassins. It was almost like battling the androids again. He appeared in front of Bidu before the man even knew that he had moved. Bidu never even saw the swipe of Trunks' hand that decapitated him. Neither did anyone else. It was as if his head simply flew off for no apparent reason.

As for the other two, Bujin could only gasp as he saw his comrade die. He signaled to Zangya and the two of them flew upwards to put some distance between Trunks and them. Powering up as much as they could the two of them combined all their ki and fired a massive blast at Trunks.

Trunks merely laughed at the blast. He reached out with a single hand and stopped it. Powering up, he fired his own blast that retraced the exact route that theirs had come from. The two assassins could do nothing but watch with horror as their red ki slowly disintegrated in front of the awesome power of Trunks' golden ki. They never had a chance to dodge and were incinerated instantly. It was over in less than a minute.

As soon as he was sure that his opponents were dead, Trunks dropped out of SSJ2 and blasted off to meet the others. Landing he looked over to where his father was being held by his mother. The affects of the virus were obvious. His father and Goku were extremely pale and they were in agony. He was sure of it.

"Mom… where can we take them?"

"We're taking them up to my flagship… a shuttle is on its way down as we speak?" said Goten. "I hope we'll be in time."


	21. Chapter Twenty One: Time Revealed

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 21: Time Revealed

_Several hours later on board the flagship Augustus_… 

Exhausted, Bulma sat quietly with her eyes closed in a small cabin that Goten had provided for her aboard his flagship. She had spent the last few hours breaking down the virus structure and unraveling its DNA so that she could create a proper cure for it. Afraid that she might mutate it, she had asked Goten to send a security detail to pick up the Bulma of this time.

The men had dug her out of the ruins of Capsule Compound and brought her as a prisoner to the ship orbiting high above Chikyuu. At first, Bulma Y. Briefs had smirked and blustered about her rights and her being one of the most powerful people on Chikyuu. However, after a few words with Goten, Mirai no Bulma had no idea what he said to her, she seemed shaken enough to spill every detail she knew about the virus to her future self.

Despite confirmation that the cure would work, Bulma was still nervous. She couldn't help but think about how much Vegeta meant to her. It wasn't that this Vegeta simply reminded her of her former lover and father of her child. No, this Vegeta was something else. He was older, wiser, and far more mellow. He still had the Vegeta arrogance, but he seemed to have swallowed his pride a bit. Changes for the better, as far as she was concerned. _Throw in the way he cooks, and he really is a fine catch indeed_, she smirked to herself.

A knock on the door caused Bulma to snap open her eyes. She really wanted to get some rest since she had been up very early that morning. It was now almost nine in the evening and she just wanted to take a hot bath and then sleep. "Come in," she said rather harshly, and in an irritated manner.

"Mom? I'm not disturbing you am I," asked Trunks with concern as he stepped into the room.

"Oh Trunks… nono you aren't disturbing me at all." Bulma couldn't help but smile at her grown-up son. She swore that he had grown even more since she had last seen him three weeks ago. "I'm sorry that I haven't seen you all day… I.. I've just been working on that damn cure to make sure Vegeta and Goku will be ok."

"No mom, I totally understand," said Trunks. "Hellos can wait when there are more pressing things." He smiled and walked over and gave her a fierce hug. "I was so worried when you disappeared. It's almost been a year since I last saw you."

"What? A year, Trunks?" gasped Bulma. "It's only been three weeks…"

"It took me a while to reconstruct the matrix… I didn't realize how complex the whole process was," answered Trunks.

"Well… a year makes sense. You know your mother is a genius and it would have even taken me months to create another matrix," she mused. "You know… now that I think about it… I'm surprised it took you as little as a year."

"Thanks mom," Trunks laughed. At Trunks laugh Bulma took another look over at him. He had definitely broadened out more since she had last seen him. Standing at 6'3 with a well developed body and a face that she knew was a mix of her own beauty yet graced with his father's ruggedness, Bulma knew Trunks was what is known as 'one damn hot feller.' She'd always teased him about his looks but now there seemed to be something in his eyes that shone only after a certain event took place.

"Mom?" came Trunks' voice as he fidgeted under his mother's appraising gaze.

"Oh… sorry Trunks," she said. "I just can't believe how much you've grown in one year."

"Mom… I've only put on a few pounds. It's not like I've grown another four inches," replied Trunks. "Anyway… do you want to tell me what's going on with you and… umm 'dad'"?

Silence. It's not everyday a son asks his mother about her sex life and that was what her son was asking about. No doubt about it. Anyone had to just take a single glance at Bulma while she had been at Vegeta's bedside to know that their relationship was one that transcended friendship. It was obvious that they were lovers. At least, that she loved him. Bulma knew this, but at the same time she was still unsure about him. Yes, he seemed different in this time, but she had trusted him once before only to have her heart torn from her in the end. In the end, that experience tainted her faith in him. She loved him, even trusted him, but she did not expect him to remain with her for eternity.

"Well… Vegeta and I are… umm…" Bulma stuttered. How exactly does a mother explain to her grown son that she is getting her groove back? "Well Trunks, see it's like this. When a man meets a woman and they love each other…"

"Mom. I'm twenty years old. I don't need the talk," laughed Trunks. "I know what you are doing with dad, not that I WANT to know, but I know. The question is… do you want to stay in this dimension mom?"

Bulma chewed on her lip in thought for a moment. Did she want to stay? Did she want to risk love again? There really was only one answer to that. "Yes, Trunks. I want to stay here. I want to play this thing through. Is that fine with you? To be without me?"

"Well you aren't staying alone. I'm staying with you?" he said. "Besides, I think I've met someone as well."

"What? Trunks… Are you serious?" Bulma looked up at Trunks with a little smirk gracing her lips. "Who is she Trunks? And in three weeks only… Wow. I'm impressed Trunks. You work fast son."

Trunks laughed a little bit uncomfortably. Luckily, he was saved from answering by another knock at the door.

"Come in," said Bulma good naturedly as she was still reveling in Trunks discomfort at her little insinuations about his sex life.

"Ms. Briefs? Trunks?" came Pan's voice as she opened the door and stepped in. She walked up next to Trunks, who put his arm around her. "My Lord Uncle sent me to tell you that he wants to hold a small conference to get everything cleared up."

"Oh… no problem… Trunks would you like to introduce me to your girlfriend?" smirked Bulma.

"Oh… sorry. Mom this is Son Pan. Gohan's daughter. Pan this is my mother, Bulma Briefs," said Trunks with mock seriousness. Bulma's reaction was priceless. Her eyes were the size of saucers.

"Gohan's daughter?" she asked incredulously. However, she snapped her hanging mouth shut and composed herself.

"I'm surprised, but I'm delighted to find out that my future daughter-in-law is the child of such a noble man. I can't wait for grandchildren," she said politely as she took Pan's arm and led her from the room to the others. "Trunks can you get me some coffee?" she called back to her son, who just stood there spell bound in embarrassment.

_Grandchildren? Oh shit…_ Trunks suddenly realized the potential consequences of his actions earlier that day.

* * *

_He floated in darkness, not knowing exactly where he was. Yet, he could feel that he was somewhat conscious. He felt a touch on his hand, and then the brush of a pair of soft lips on his forehead. He could taste her emotions, sorrow, regret, and then a promise made…_

_Was he dreaming? He didn't know. It didn't matter as a new wave of sensations flowed through him._

_Flash_

_He stood upon a wind swept cliff in the mountains of Chikyuu. He had never been there, but somehow he knew the place and it had a special meaning for him. Looking over the landscape, he could only hold is breath. It was simply spectacular. The sun was setting and its rays had turned from yellow, to orange, to brilliant amber. Pines covered the lower slopes of the nearby snow capped mountains. Here and there various critters and creatures roamed the steep mountainside. He couldn't help but wonder why he was seeing all this._

_It was then that he noticed before him was a single headstone sculpted with the greatest care and precision. Made out of solid granite it would take millennia for it to weather away. Slowly, he knelt down and read the hand carved inscription and felt his heart seized up. _

Bulma Vegeta Briefs

Eiko Ikegami

Empress of Imperai-sei

A Loving Mother

A Respected Empress

A Perfect Wife

Even If She Was a Loud Mouthed Bitch

May She Rest In Peace

_Flash_

_He stood once again on Imperia-sei once again. He found himself walking slowly back to his chambers after an extremely grueling training session with the boy. He was looking forward to sitting back and relaxing. He was puzzled by that, since he was never one for relaxation._

_Realization dawned on him when he came to his chambers. He was coming back to her, and that was what he had been anticipating all day. Slowly he opened the doors, only to witness a sight that made him scream in agony. There before him lay his beloved Empress covered in her own blood. She had been butchered and raped. Her lifeless eyes stared accusingly at him. "Where were you Vegeta?" "Why weren't you here to protect me?" He could only feel himself slowly slipping into insanity._

_Flash_

_He was surrounded by cheering crowds. Again, he was on Imperia-sei, but this time in the grand square in front of the ImperialPalace. There was a large band playing the Anthem of the Imperium to his left. Standing next to him was his beautiful blue haired wife. She stood regally at his side and smiled at the crowd. She held a single hand up for silence and it came immediately. She began to step forward to make an announcement, but was cut short by a massive explosion that ripped through the podium that they were all standing on._

_Again he felt his heart seize up. He was, of course, un-hurt by the blast. It was obviously not meant for him. However, he knew… he knew who it was meant for and a single look to his left caused him to break down in grief. There was her charred body…_

_  
Flash_

_He knelt by her bedside. They had lived long together but now she was a withered old crone. No longer beautiful, no longer young, no longer vigorous she could do nothing more than lie in bed. She was fed by the machines that she had created, and her eyes were dull. They, too, no longer held the spark of fire that he had so fallen in love with. He sat there, watching for what seems an eternity as her breath slowly stilled. Again, he felt the greatest sense of loss well up within him. He could not help but let out a howl of pain and then again… he felt his mind snap._

_Flash_

_Again… Another scene, another dead body. This time her throat slit… he held her in his arms as she died._

_Flash_

_Her body beaten and broken on the shores of a great ocean. They had gone vacationing together. Again, her eyes… her blue lifeless eyes accused… "Why couldn't you protect me?" _

_Flash_

_Over and over the images appeared. Each of her… slain by an unknown hand. Again and again he felt his mind break in frustration, in agony, in pain, in bitterness. Always those eyes…Those eyes accused him… "Why?" "Why did you let me die?" "Why weren't you there?"_

_Flash_

_He stood on that mountain again. Upon that wind swept cliff in those beautiful and serene range. Unlike the other visions where he felt a sense of dread upon witnessing each seen, he felt none now. In fact, he felt at peace. He looked around, but instead of one he saw two head stones. Now before him stood a young woman, her blue hair was held by a silver pin exposing her delicate neck. She was lithe, but her muscles were well defined in a way that only a warrior's was. As she moved closer to the headstones they rippled the way a panther's does when it is on the hunt. Yet, her eyes were full of sorrow, doubt, and regret. _

"_Why did you leave me? I'm not ready yet… The responsibility is too much for me… I can't be like the two of you…"_

_Flash_

_White lights… a ceiling… a face looking down on him… _He was awake. Vegeta sat up only to find himself looking straight at Kakkarot's happy smiling face. The younger Saiyan was sitting in the exact same position as he was directly across from him. Apparently he had woken up at the exact same time as Vegeta. Vegeta scowled at the sight. He wanted to pummel Kakkarot for being so damn happy. The damn idiot had probably dreamed about strawberry shortcakes, glazed donuts, and assorted other tasty treats.

"Majesty!" came one of the doctor's shouts. "I am relieved to see you are awake. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," he snapped. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and tried to stand up. Wobbling for a second he finally stabilized himself. He needed to find the woman. The dreams plagued him over and over. He would rather spend an eternity alone than see harm come to her. He would not allow her to… to die as he had witnessed a thousand times. No, he had to protect her and there was only one way to do so, return her to where she had come from.

* * *

_Elsewhere on board..._

Goten sat looking at the blonde sitting across from him who was quietly reading from her datapad. She had been in his office since they had made sure that Vegeta and his father had all the medical treatment they could get. There hadn't been a point in sticking around and getting in Mirai no Bulma's and the doctor's way so the two had left and retreated here. Marron had immediately picked up a datapad and began to get up to date on the events and changes in the last five years. It was an enormous task, and he watched with a little smile on his face as he saw her jot down notes. In all the years he had known her, he never did figure out how to decipher her notes. They always did look like a bunch of meaningless words—deliberately done, he knew.

He looked back down at his own paperwork. There was a mountain of it. Hundreds of clarification notices from various parts of the fleet that would soon be in a battle to the death. Yet, even at this moment, with all the pressure, with all the eminent danger, everything felt right. She had said no more than two words to him since she had stepped onto this ship. But, words weren't needed. This scenario, her in his office and the two of them working, was comforting in itself. How many times had this happened in the past? Thousands? Hundred of thousands? Before she had left, they had always done this—working together in the same room on different things, taking time to simply enjoy each other's presence.

Goten surprisingly felt no elation from the fact that she was no longer engaged to Trunks or from the fact that she had finally told him that she would leave with him back for the Imperium. No, he simply felt a quiet sense of satisfaction and perhaps a bit of relief. It was much like waking from a bad dream. Everything was once again right.

She looked up and raised her eyebrows questioningly when she saw him looking at her. Quietly, she set down her working materials and stretched. It was a _very_ nice looking stretch thought Goten.

"An interesting turn of events, yes?" he asked off handedly. He heard her give a one-breath chuckle.

"You could say that—a son of Vegeta that is more powerful than all of us put together and whose mother is Bulma Briefs—a Bulma Briefs that is obviously nothing like the Bulma we know. I just can't wait for the explanation, but I guess I can reign in my curiosity for a little while."

"Heh, We'll have it soon enough. I've arranged a meeting for everyone to come to in a little bit. I expect the whole truth will come out."

"I won't be attending," she said. Seeing his questioning look, she explained, "We have no time Goten. The armada is coming and you won't need me there. I doubt you'll get the truth from them. I'm sure of it. Anyway, I need to get started with figuring out how that attack happened. I'm going to hunt down my little Trunks Yamcha Briefs… He was behind it after all."

"So you're going back to the planet?"

"Yes, I'm going to have to start putting together an analysis team too, and a goon squad. Brains and Muscles to carry out my will," she said with a sigh. So much work… so little time. Life was always so difficult."

"You have the personnel files already. Requisition what you need and get started. The faster we can make sure there is no conspiracy on Chikyuu the better."

Marron let out a little laugh at his words. "You'll probably get a few little reports on your desk by tomorrow."

"I'm sure… anyway I want you to reconsider skipping the meeting. I really think you should attend this.

"Why?"

"I need a second opinion on this Saiyan, Trunks. He seems to have won everyone over, including me, but I know how paranoid you are. You'll be more thorough than I in this matter."

"It's that important?" she asked. Then she thought a bit. "Oh, you know he's the heir if he's real. Regardless, the explanation, the one thing we know for sure is that he is the son of Vegeta. hmmm…"

Goten smirked as he watched her forehead crease in concentration. He always did find how her facial features changed with her mood to be amusing. Then turning his mind back to the subject of Trunks, he sighed. "You know what really galls me is that power level of his. I mean that ascended form is ridiculous," said Goten with a little frustration in his voice. "He wiped all three of Bojack's henchman out even though we couldn't keep up with them. And he did it with—"

"Style?" she interjected.

"Ease," he corrected. She laughed at his glare and then laughed again when she saw him grin that Son grin. Even after all these years he was still—in part—the same Goten as their childhood. He was so much more now, but that core of innocent honesty remained. She, on the other hand, had become the opposite of honest.

"He's better looking than you are too," she said with a little dreamy smile on her face. "Are we feeling a little… tail envy?"

"Please, don't try to get under my skill, dear. You know that doesn't work on me," he snorted. "And you need some practice with your acting skills. I'll give you an F for Failure on that attempt. Do try better next time."

"An F for Failure? That wasn't too witty."

"It was meant for clarification."

"Pretentious aren't we," Marron laughed. Oh, Goten was such fun. "Ok, I'll come for a little bit and I'll get to know him. Pan will flip out, but oh well. You Saiyans are remarkably territorial when it comes to these things."

"A little competition would be good for her."

"Oh? She's not a male you know. I don't think she'll appreciate this sort of meddling."

"Sorry for her. She needs to get over her insecurities then," he said. "And more importantly if this Trunks IS everything we hope he is then it's even more important that he trusts you and has YOU to guide him. I doubt our master and I will have that much time to spare in making sure that he doesn't get involved in the Byzantine politics. You know that every political group is going to slobber at having an heir to manipulate now. Even more so when he's a complete beginner."

"Good point. Thanks Goten, just one more thing for me to deal with," she said with a sigh.

"Well you have some catching up to do anyway and this will work well while you get up to speed. It'll take a while before you take over your former role anyway. We have a whopping one planet under our direct control right now," he said with a smirk.

She nodded. "Alright then. Let me go get some uniforms ordered. I'll meet you at the meeting… make it 25-30 minutes?"

"That's good. Let me get everyone together."

"See you then," she said as she walked out.

Goten stared at her when he watched her leave. The conversation was close to being right, but there was still a little wariness, a little hesitation on her part. He didn't understand why she was afraid of him, or wary of him, but it seemed that things were headed in the right direction. Like all successful predators, he had mastered the art of patience. Now, if only they could all survive the next few days. Things would be fantastic then.

* * *

_Conference Room aboard the Augustus…_

Mirai no Bulma entered the conference room a step ahead of Pan and Trunks. She was immediately arrested by the site before her and her hand shot instinctively towards Trunks as a bolt of fear struck through her as she saw the blond android number 18 sitting at the table. She knew in her head that she had nothing to fear from this android, but for those of her dimension, getting so close to Number 18 was certain death. It was hard to break a habit instilled by a lifetime of hardship. She noticed that Trunks also visibly tensed.

"Greetings," said Goten as he walked over to the three newcomers that had just entered the room. He noticed the wary look of both mother and son as their gaze settled on Number 18. He had intended to seat them next to the Chestnuts/Chaitagnes but it seemed that might be a bad idea. Instead he took them and seated them next to himself.

Already there, and seated were most of the family members of the Sons and Chaitagnes. Gohan, Videl, and Chichi were there; their wounds healed through the use of Senzu beans. Additionally, Marron, Krillan, and Eighteen were also there along with Buu, and Mr. Satan.

"So you are Goten," remarked Bulma as she seated herself next to her son. "Your resemblance to your father is uncanny. Though you get your eyes from your mother."

"Heh… Not many people notice that," replied Goten. "Allow me to make introductions." One by one Goten introduced each of the people that were there. At each name he carefully watched Bulma's reaction. Though the woman kept herself under control very well when he mentioned Krillan, his mother, and Gohan, he could see the sadness well up in her eyes.

"So… that's it for our end. Now… I think curiosity is killing all of us here. Trunks promised the truth to Pan when you, his mother, arrived. Now that you are here, and in light of you arriving with the Emperor, I think the truth is in order so that we can all figure out what exactly is going on and who is who," stated Goten.

"Knowledge is as vast as space itself, Goten," replied Bulma sagely. "What exactly do you want to know? Tell me and I will try to provide the best answer that I can."

"Well… I think we all want to know who exactly you and Trunks are. I mean, you are listed under the name Eiko Ikegami. Yet, for all of us here, we know that you are Bulma Briefs. You look exactly like her ten years ago. Even your ki matches hers…"

"That is because I really am Bulma Briefs. The exact same person you have in the other room locked up in almost every way."

"How is that possible?" asked Marron.

"Well… I'm Bulma Briefs, but both Trunks and I are from a different timeline… or more accurately, a different dimension."

"A different dimension? Jesus, this sounds like a bad episode of the twilight zone," remarked Videl as she stood up. "Coffee, Tea anyone?"

"Coffee, Tea," came various orders from around the room. Videl smirked and walked next to a panel.

"Dimensional travel huh? That is incredible if you are telling the truth," said Gohan. "I can almost see how it's done but I can't understand how you can breach through the fabric of time/space even if you do travel faster than the speed of light."

Bulma smirked. "You don't need to travel faster than the speed of light. You'll never make it that way. I've tried."

"Then…"

"What is the shape of the universe?" asked Bulma.

"I… No one really knows."

"Exactly. The only thing that we do know is that there are dimensions. How many we don't know. We do know that there is height, length, width and _time_. So I created device that would manipulate the shape of the universe, the dimensional matrix. What it did was using an incredibly surge of gravity, bring two points in the universe temporarily together. In essence, I ripped a whole through the time/space continuum so that you could travel from one place to another."

"Amazing…" breathed Gohan. "That just might work… but you'd need a hell of a generator to accomplish it."

Bulma shrugged. She didn't want anyone to know exactly how dimensional travel worked. Even though Trunks knew the basics of the matrix, he didn't know everything that went into it. Dimensional travel would die with her. There were too many dire consequences to it.

"I'm glad you became a scholar in this time Gohan…" she said whimsically. Turning to Chichi, "I'm glad he became what you wanted him to be…"

Chichi's eyebrows shot up at her comment. "Is… is my Gohan in your time different? He's not a hooligan is he?"

"No… he was a great warrior… he taught me everything I know," interjected Trunks quietly.

"Can you tell us a bit about your world?" asked Goten. Sitting across from these time travelers, even he, the Duke de Sirrus, was burning with curiosity.

"There isn't much to tell… our world was exactly like yours up until the androids came," stated Bulma. She looked at Eighteen only to feel a shiver run up her spine. She knew that Eighteen couldn't be bad in this time. In fact, she knew that Marron was her daughter and that Vegeta respected Marron very much. In fact, he even had somewhat mellowed out towards Krillan because of her. "They destroyed everything and had been terrorizing the world for almost 17 years before they were destroyed. Chikyuu is barely populated now. Perhaps 10 million people survived the holocaust. Only a few cities remain, but it's been getting better."

"Wait… which androids?" asked Krillan looking over at his wife.

"18 and 17," answered Trunks.

The room was silent for a moment before Eighteen spoke. "I'm not saying your wrong, but I've never ever had a desire to go on a mass killing spree. Not even when I first woke up."

"Yeah… that's what the Eighteen of the other time was like."

"Other time?" came the question from all around the room.

"Well you see… the time machine was created so that I could go back in time to give the medicine to Goku. The idea was to save that time so that they wouldn't end up like us. Well… there were some complications with that."

For the next twenty minutes Trunks told the story of the Cell Saga. He told his friends of this time the story of how he defeated Freiza, and then how the androids first appeared. He explained to them how Cell, unlike this time, had achieved his perfect form and how Gohan became the first Super Saiyan to become an Ascended Saiyan.

"So that's how you knew so much about the Androids, and the Cell games," remarked Gohan. "I was wondering how you figured out that I was the one who really defeated Cell."

"Well… that's fine, but I want to know who Trunks' father is," said Chichi when she realized that Trunks was half Saiyan. Two possibilities came to mind. She knew about Bulma's one affair, but she also knew that Bulma didn't get pregnant. Trunks Yamcha Briefs was NOT a half-saiyan. So that meant only one other Saiyan could have been the father. She had to ask the question. "He's half Saiyan right? Is my Goku his father?"

Gohan and Goten gave each other shocked looks at this revelation. It was possible that Trunks was their half brother. On the other side of the room Trunks' eyes grew wide, but not quite as wide as Pan's when she realized that she might have slept with her uncle. _No he said his father was Vegeta… but…_ A certain song from a comedy show danced in her head as she whirled on Trunks, "Trunks… tell me you are NOT my uncle."

Bulma, too, had been caught unprepared by Chichi's question and been stunned into silence. However, one look at the horror on Pan's face and the shock on Trunks' caused her to burst out laughing. She couldn't help herself, it was simply hilarious. "Nononono Chi…," she managed to say between breaths. "Goku is NOT Trunks' father, and NO ITS NOT GOHAN." She had to head off that direction of thinking before it even started. "Trunks' father is Vegeta," she said after she got a hold of herself. Of course, the reaction wasn't what she expected. Krillan spit out his coffee in shock. Marron and Goten choked on theirs. Even Pan looked pale. Everyone with the exception of Chichi seemed to be totally floored by revelation of truth.

"Bulma," said Krillan carefully while cleaning up the mess he caused with a napkin.

"Yes, Krillan."

"Are you telling me that Vegeta is not gay?" asked Krillan with a look of shock on his face.

Unfortunately, Krillan had always been plagued by bad luck. Every battle he'd fight in, he'd get hurt badly, and quickly. Often his snide remarks, or even his innocent comments came back to haunt him. This was no exception.

"Did you just insinuate that I was gay chrome dome?" came a very dangerous voice from the doorway.

There stood Vegeta, resplendent in the black and purple robes denoting his rank of Emperor of the Imperium, ruler of half a thousand worlds, and probably the most powerful man in the universe.

Vegeta smirked as he watched the formerly bald monk squirm under his gaze. Though, almost anyone in the empire would do the same, for some reason Vegeta took perverse pleasure in making the Z-fighter suffer. Perhaps it was because that he was still alive because of the mercy of the said fighter. He hadn't quite forgiven him, them, that. Even after so many years.

"Uh… uh Vegeta…" stammered Krillan. Despite Vegeta's reform after Namek, and even more so as the Emperor of a vast galactic empire, Krillan was still terrified of him. Especially since he had never seen real proof of Vegeta's change of heart. "What I meant was…"

Krillan felt a pair of hands wrap around his face before he could finish. "Daddy… you don't know when to shut up sometimes…" hissed Marron as she frantically tried to silence her father before he could say something that would really get him into trouble. Turning to Vegeta she said, "I apologize Master… My father is not familiar with proper etiquette. Forgive him."

Vegeta grunted and turned his attention elsewhere. He looked over the room to see unfamiliar faces or faces that he had not seen in decades. There was Son Gohan, Kakkarot's brat. The last he time he had seen the boy was when he was ten year's old. He had grown much, though his power level was pathetically weak for one who had so much potential. Next to him sat a middle-aged woman with short black hair. Videl, he recognized from the various ramblings of Brat #1. She was Goten's sister-in-law, and a major political figure on this mud ball. Vegeta was a little baffled on how a politician and a Son could mate, let alone bond, but he decided to put it away for musings later. Of course he recognized the bald monk.

"Master…" said Goten interrupting Vegeta's thoughts. "Is my father alright? Has he recovered from the Virus as well?"

Vegeta stopped. He had sworn that Kakkarot was right behind him. After all, the two of them had left the medical section together. Turning around, he was shocked to see that Kakkarot was nowhere to be found. "Damn… Brat. Your father was right behind me." Vegeta stretched his ki senses out and found that Goku's ki was in a completely different part of the ship. Somehow he had wandered off while Vegeta had been absorbed in his thoughts on their way over here.

"Shimatta," said Goten. He loved his father dearly, but the knowledge that his father was loose and unattended did not engender feelings of peacefulness and tranquility. His father on a ship was a walking disaster waiting to happen. "Excuse me," he said rising. "But I'm going to have to hunt down my father. Let's take a short break and I'll be right back." Without another word he rose and hastily exited the ship in the direction of where his father's ki was located.

* * *

_In another part of the ship…_

Goku hadn't wandered away on accident. In fact, he had purposely ditched Vegeta in search of a very familiar ki. He needed to have words with someone, and he wanted to speak to them alone. He walked with purpose and, amazingly, no one on the ship questioned on why he was there until he reached his destination.

"Excuse me sir," said a guard in front of the room where the person he wanted to speak to was being held. "No one is allowed here without the expression permission of the Duke. Please be on your way."

"I need to speak to the prisoner," said Goku in the most serious voice he could manage. He didn't want to have to knock the guards out as they were his son's men. However, he would do so if he had to. "My son has no problems with me being here."

"Your son?" asked the man as he gulped. He knew very well the moment that the man mentioned his son who Goku was referring to. The resemblance between Goku and Goten was uncanny, and only a blind man could miss it. "Umm… I guess that's fine Lord Son, but I'm going to have to inform him of this meeting."

"That's no problem; he knows I'm here already," replied Goku truthfully. He could already sense Goten's ki heading this way. "Do you think I can see her now?"

"Sure Lord Son," said the guard as he moved over and typed the entrance code. The door slid open and he gestured for Goku to enter.

"Oh… and when Goten gets here, can you tell him that I want to speak to her alone for a few minutes? I'll talk to him when I get out."

"No problem," said the guard. "I'll be sure to do so m'lord."

Goku nodded in approval and then stepped in. He noticed that the room was very Spartan, but at the same time relatively large. The person who he came to see was sitting quietly on the bed staring at the wall. She had the look of utter defeat on her face, and it was readily apparent that she had been crying. Something, he knew she didn't do often.

"Bulma?" he asked with concern. He couldn't help but feel sorrow for his life-long friend. No matter what happened, he and she had gone through so much together that there would always be a bond between them. "Are you alright?"

Hearing his voice, and the concern in it caused Bulma Yamcha Briefs to flinch. It was as if he struck her, but for her the pain was much worse. Until she had her little talk with Goten earlier, she had herself convinced that it was Videl that had made the Sons turn against her. After all, it wasn't until Videl become mayor of Satan City that there was any friction between the two families. Things had gotten worse when she had been elected to Chikyuu's parliament as Videl's and Bulma's interests collided with each other. Despite all that, she genuinely still cared about Goku. Their times together were something she had, and still did hold sacred. Of all her old friends, he was the one that she knew still cared for her, and would care for her no matter what. His present concern for her despite what she had done only drove that point home.

"Goku-kun…" she half-whispered. "I'm so sorry… I never meant… I never meant for you to…" She started sobbing before she could finish what she was saying. Guilt welled up through her from the part of her that had remained true to the ideals of her youth.

"Bulma…" he said soothingly as he wrapped his strong arms around her in an embrace letting her cry for a little while. "So… it's true then. You really made the virus," he asked.

She nodded into his chest. "I… I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I was so angry when Videl turned against me in parliament and Gohan supported him. I… I don't know what to say Goku. I never meant to use it… I never meant for you to be hurt by it. I'm sorry… so sorry."

"It's okay Bulma," he said, "Nothing bad came of it… I'm fine and Vegeta is fine."

"Vegeta?" she gasped. "What… What is he doing back on Chikyuu?"

"I'm not quite sure. But he was the one who saved me from those assassins. I don't think we could have won if he hadn't shown up."

"Who were those guys Goku? They've destroyed everything… Capsule Corps is gone. I don't even know if Trunks or Yamcha are alive." Her sob was not genuinely faked. She was concerned about her son, but as for Yamcha, well she'd given up on him years ago.

"Well… I'm not sure. You'll have to ask Goten. I'm sure he knows."

There was no way in hell Bulma wanted to ever see the younger Son again. The man was far too shrewd and she knew he reviled her. He had made it quite clear when he and her other self had come and interrogated her. An opportunity now presented itself to her. It was obvious that Goku still trusted her. That wasn't surprising since Goku trusted anyone he cared about. A part of her was screaming that she shouldn't abuse this trust, that this was her chance at redemption, but that part was drowned out by the part of her who wanted vengeance against all those who had done her harm.

"Goku… Goku we need to wish back all the people who were hurt. Do you think you can take me to go get the Dragon Radar?" she asked.

"It wasn't destroyed at Capsule Corps, Bulma?" questioned Goku. "Wow that's wonderful news. One second I'll be right back." Goku stood, and exited the room as he felt his son's ki.

"Dad… what are you doing here? Why the hell are you talking to her?"

"Goten… Bulma still has the dragon radar… we can wish everyone that died back. I'm going to take her back to Chikyuu to get it."

"Dad… I don't trust her. Let me get some people to go with you."

"Nah… No need Goten… anyway I think she's realized what she's doing was wrong," said Goku as he turned down his son's offer. "I'll be back in a little while, Goten." Goku walked back into the room and within moments Goten felt his father's ki disappear off the ship.

Goten sighed. He didn't trust Bulma at all, and he was sure that she manipulated his father's forgiving nature. However, this was something he'd anticipated. Touching the communicator on his wrist he only had to wait seconds before his call was answered. "Hashiba," he told the Vice Admiral and his second in command. "I want a full security detail dispatched to the planet. I want Bulma Briefs kept under surveillance. Be discreet, this is an excellent chance for us to find out who the traitor's contacts are here on Chikyuu.

* * *

_In another part of the ship…_

Vegeta found himself sitting next to Bulma and Trunks in the conference room. He silently appraised his son from another dimension and couldn't help but feel pride at the power level of the boy. He had only partially witnessed the end of the fight on Chikyuu, but the immense power reading could not have been missed by even the ki-blind. Vegeta knew that the boy's power, at that time, could have probably overwhelmed everyone in this room and Kakkarot combined. Such power at such a young age was simply unheard of. No Saiyan, even Kakkarot's half brat, had ever achieved such power. The boy could be more powerful than the legendary Super Saiyan himself.

"Vegeta," said Mirai no Bulma. "I would like to introduce you to my son, Trunks."

Trunks and Vegeta smirked at each other. To everyone watching, there was little doubt that the two were father and son. "I'm pleased to meet you father," said Trunks.

"Hmmph. Your strength is impressive boy, but it takes more than strength to be a true warrior," stated Vegeta. He noticed something now; the way Pan and Trunks were sitting next to each other, and the way she was looking at him was a sure sign that the two were lovers. Turning to his youngest disciple, he said, "I see you found yourself a lover."

Pan blushed for a moment before responding. "Yes master, though this lover has quite a bit of explaining to do before he's back on my good side."

Trunks gulped, causing Vegeta to laugh. He knew how obstinate and loud the granddaughter of Kakkarot could be. It was undoubtedly a genetic family trait.

Vegeta's laugh surprised Trunks. His father of the other time period would never have laughed at his predicament. In fact, he would have thought the entire relationship pathetic and more than likely disapproved, especially since Pan was a member of the Son clan. Obviously this was not the case with this time's version of his father. Furthermore, Pan had called Vegeta 'master'. He wanted to know what the hell she meant by that. However, that would have to wait for later as Goten walked back into the room.

"Well brat," said Vegeta to Goten. "What is the situation?"

"Master," said Goten. "Things are grim, but still manageable. The Empire has accepted Bojak as Emperor even if it is out of fear. We have an entire legion at our disposal, but Bojak has three. However, we have many times the number of powerful ki users. Especially so if Trunks is willing to aid us."

"Of course, I'll help," said Trunks without hesitation.

"As will I," added Mirai no Bulma.

"Well then… the first priority for us now is to prepare for the fleet that is moving to attack us now. We will be slightly outnumbered, but with the number of ki users we have, we will win handily. After that we can begin our campaign to retake the Empire."

"How long until the fleet arrives?" asked Vegeta.

"About 48 hours," answered Goten. "We've been tracking them since this morning. It was obvious that the assassination attempt and the fleet were supposed to be coordinated. We also need to hunt down Dr. Myuu and find out whom on Chikyuu is working for Bojak."

"Fine. Make the necessary preparations," said Vegeta as he rose. "For now, rest is required. Go get some." Turning to Trunks, "Tomorrow morning you will spar with me boy. Be ready."

"I'll be ready," replied Trunks in an arrogance that easily matched his father's. "You don't need to worry about that."

Vegeta smirked and held out his arm for Bulma. She took it and said, "Trunks… get a good night's sleep. I'll see you tomorrow." The two of them walked out of the room arm in arm.

Trunks smiled at the scene. His mother had been so lonely for so long. Now, finally, she had someone to share her life with. Even better, was that this person was his father. It made things so much easier for him to handle. Looking over at Pan, his grin grew even wider. He, too, had found someone. In imitation of his father, he held out his arm for her. Pan laughed as she took it and the two of the left the room as well.

* * *

_On Chikyuu…_

Goku stood waiting in the living room of the Capsule Ranch. This was the thousand acre ranch that Bulma had bought ten years back when she still believed that her family would be a happy. It would have been a great place for the entire gang to get together and have a wonderful time. However, no one besides her had come out here in quite some time. She had made it her private retreat and had moved some of her more secret inventions here as a precaution against things like exactly the one that happened today. Goku didn't know any of this. He simply wandered the living room looking at the pictures that were around. Not surprisingly he saw several pictures of her and him when they were younger and a family picture with her parents, him and his family. A few pictures of her son, but amazingly not one picture of Yamcha. In fact, there had even been the single picture that she had ever taken with Vegeta, but none of her husband. He was quite surprised by this. He had never known that Yamcha and Bulma were having marital problems at all.

He felt her walk back into the room and was about to turn around when he heard a hiss and felt a slight bite like pain in his leg. Turning around, he was about to comment when he saw that Bulma was holding a gun, a needle, and the Dragon Radar. "Bulma… what's going on…" suddenly Goku felt woozy and fell to the floor, the world spinning around him.

"I'm sorry Goku… I really am, but there's something I have to do," he heard Bulma say right as darkness overtook him.


	22. Chapter Twenty Two: So much for hope

_**Thanks to TanyaNeko for all her wonderful assistance as Beta!**_

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 22: So much for hope…

_The next morning…_

Vegeta awoke at the break of dawn. At least, it would have been the break of dawn if he had been on Chikyuu. He moved to get up but found himself held down by a light weight that rested on his chest. Looking down he saw Bulma sleeping quietly while using his broad well-chiseled chest as a pillow. Her aqua hair pooled around his chest, and he enjoyed the faint tingling sensation whenever she shifted slightly. She looked so frail, he thought. Unable to help himself, he reached down and ran his hand through the fine strands of her hair. She stirred quietly at his action, and Vegeta watched as her eyes slowly opened. Two crystal blue orbs gazed upwards, twinkling with delight that he was the first thing she saw in the morning.

"Morning, 'Geta," she said lazily. She leaned forward and gave him a peck on the cheek and then sat up, stretching.

Vegeta simply 'hmmphed' at her greeting, and continued to observe her. His eyes took in every curve of her body, every ripple of muscle that she possessed. He still couldn't quite grasp how he could ever be so bewitched by such a frail creature. It was then that he remembered his dreams. The image of her bloody, beaten, and violated body swam across his vision causing his heart to seize up. His mind reeled in horror and he visibly flinched as if he had been struck by a blow.

"Vegeta?" she said with a fair amount of concern in her voice, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing… it is nothing to be concerned about," he replied while getting himself back under control. The images were so vivid, so clear, so realistic that he was unable to simply discount them as simple unease. He couldn't help but feel that it was some sort of premonition. And if it was, he would NOT allow it to happen, not to her. Even if it meant giving up his happiness, if it meant returning to a life where his heart was empty, then so be it. No matter the pain or suffering, he would see that she lived. No alternative was acceptable. He got out of bed, and began to dress. He needed to take his mind off of her, and the only thing he could think of doing was to train.

"Where are you going?" she asked, all the while leaning seductively backwards.

"To train," he answered gruffly as he finished donning his training outfit.

"Wouldn't you rather train here?"

Something in her voice hypnotically drew his attention. Taking in the sight of her, he could feel his hormones begin to rage through his body. He cursed himself for remaining abstinent for twenty years. Now, he felt like a sixteen-year old teenager presented with his first taste of woman. He closed his eyes, and began to battle down his most primal urges.

"Vegeta," she said, causing him to open his eyes to open once more, only to witness her trailing a finger slowly down her most desirable assets. "Are you sure?"

"Damn it, woman," he said as he tore his clothes from his body. "If you want to be ravished that badly, then you are going to be ravished." And the two were dissolved into passion.

* * *

_An hour later…_

Vegeta strode into the training quarters on the flagship. Like most men after an extensive bout of sex, he felt good, REAL good. There was even a pseudo-smile on his face. Chuckling to himself for absolutely no reason, he cast a look around and saw that all of the gravity rooms were already in use. Cursing the woman for delaying him, he scanned the Gravity readings to see if anyone would be a challenge for him. It took him only a moment to find one that read 500x gravity, and using his Ki senses he knew he had found the son of Bulma, the boy named Trunks.

He walked over to the outside panel and overrode the security measures that kept the doors locked from the inside so that no one could walk into a room where the gravity might accidentally crush them. Hearing a loud shout, he smirked, opened the door, and strode in.

"Boy. Your control is pathetic," Vegeta snorted in disgust as he saw Trunks rubbing his head. It was obvious that he had struck the ceiling when the gravity had changed abruptly. He was appalled that the boy lacked the control to prevent such a simple mishap.

Trunks scowled as he rose to his feet. "Good morning to you too."

Vegeta didn't respond at first. He walked around Trunks several times assessing the young man's potential. Finally he stopped a few feet in front of Trunks and let his gaze fall upon his alternate's son. "You are not to raise your ki higher than my level."

Trunks let a smirk identical to his father's slip onto his face. He waited patiently for his father's ki to rise, but for some reason it was holding steady at around a scouter level of 1,000. Trunks was shocked that his father was only willing to raise his ki to a level that even a human could easily attain. It took him a moment to realize that if they had raised their ki any higher that the ship would end up disintegrating.

There was no warning when Vegeta attacked. One second he was there standing in front of Trunks, the next Trunks was reeling backwards from a blow to the cheek. It took less than a millisecond for Trunks to recover, but he found himself on the defensive. Blow after blow he was able to parry away, yet he found himself unable to assume the offensive against his father. Charging up a small ki blast he flung it into Vegeta's chest and then sprang up so as to give himself some room to maneuver. He waited with heavy breath for his father to continue to attack, but instead Vegeta also backed off.

"You are already short of breath," he sneered. "That's pathetic. So early in a fight and you've already lost control. A warrior does not show fatigue unless in absolute need."

Trunks blurred and struck Vegeta with such speed and power that the latter barely even saw it coming. The blow sent Vegeta flying to the wall causing the entire room to shudder slightly. "A warrior can show fatigue to cause misdirection as well," said Trunks as he brought his breathing back under control.

Vegeta grunted in grudging respect as he peeled himself off the floor. The boy had surprised him, and very few had ever been able to do that. Smirking to himself, he decided it was time to cut loose. Trunks may have been powerful, but obviously he was use to be being top dog. It was time to do a father's duty and cut the boy down a few notches. With a roar he attacked.

Trunks was caught unprepared for the fury of Vegeta's onslaught. He was thrown on the defensive and then sent sprawling. As he got onto his feet, he found himself being attacked again. There was no let up in his father's assault. Amazingly, Trunks found that his father's style was much different in this time period compared to the other timeline. He was just as strong, if not stronger, and fought with the same intensity. However, he fought much more deceptively. He masked his true strikes with feints. Also, Trunks found that whenever he struck back, his father was always ready for it and parried them with ease before striking back at him, usually causing him to be sent flying into the wall. It seemed that the pride and arrogance that had always been the flaw of Vegeta in the other timelines did not exist in this one here. After his initial under-estimation of Trunks, it seemed that Vegeta was taking his opponent very seriously and was almost cautious to a degree.

After twenty more minutes, Trunks was too battered to go on. He had only landed a few blows to his father, and it seemed that he had taken hundreds. Every part of him hurt, and if he moved, every part of him hurt more.

"Here boy, it seems that you need this," said Vegeta tossing him a small bean at him. Trunks was too tired to even catch it, and it fell on the floor next to him.

Trunks groaned as he rolled over and picked up the bean. Popping it in his mouth he swore that it tasted a little staler than the usual Senzu, but he could feel his energy return, and his bruised body heal. "Damn… how old was that bean?" he asked tasting an aftertaste that wasn't quite right.

"I do not know… you'll have to ask Kakkarot's brat. He keeps some with him always, and when I arrived he gave me some. Then again, he hasn't been back here on Earth in five years."

Trunks ignored his father. He HAD to be lying and if he wasn't he really, really didn't want to know.

"You need training boy. You are powerful with your Ascended Saiyan form, but you do not have the skill to match it. Who trained you?"

"Gohan did," replied Trunks, "And then I trained with you kinda in the room of spirit and time."

"Hmm… It is not surprising that you have flaws if Kakkarot's elder brat trained you. He's always been weak," he said flatly. However, his words did not sit well with Trunks.

"Gohan was a GREAT man," he snapped at his father. "He gave his life for me… for the people of our dimension."

"Boy… Because he was a great or noble man does not mean that he did not fail in his training of you," said Vegeta completely unfazed by Trunks' outburst. His voice remained in the same flat lecturing tone. "Your outburst shows that you fail to grasp the subtlety of the mind. How then can you grasp the subtleties of battle?"

"What are you talking about? What do you mean grasp…"

"Listen to what I say boy. It is not surprising that Kakkarot's brat did not train you well because he had no formal training himself. Your mother told me quite a bit about your dimension. Both Kakkarot and the Namek died early. They were never able to train your mentor so it was left for him to train himself. From what I know there were few opponents and few real fought battles," explained Vegeta patiently. "Without real battles, a warrior cannot refine his technique. And it is obvious in this case that your technique is flawed."

Trunks did not respond. There was nothing he could say since his father was correct. He hadn't had the battle experience Vegeta had had, and his subsequent thrashing was ample proof of it.

"Sulking?" sneered Vegeta. "That is most unbecoming of any man, let alone the Saiya-jin no Ouji. Get up boy… The most important thing that you can know is that there is always more to learn."

Listening to his father's words, Trunks couldn't contain his surprise. His father had just acknowledged him as the Saiya-jin no Ouji. It was clearly a sign of acceptance, and perhaps respect. Something that Trunks had never thought to receive openly from his father after meeting the cruel and callous man in the other dimension. It was not that he did not respect his father of the other time; indeed he had come to care about his other alternative father greatly and even respected him. However, that man had disappointed him. He had shown a callousness and arrogance that Trunks had found appalling. This version of his father was different. So different that it shocked Trunks to the very fiber of his being. Here was a man that was very much like the Saiya-jin no Ouji of his childhood dreams.

"Will you train me?" Trunks blurted, and then immediately clamped his mouth shut as he saw his father stiffen.

Vegeta remained silent for a brief moment after Trunks' request. He wanted to train the boy. After all, he was of his blood even if not of his times. Training Kakkarot's brat had sparked a hidden longing in him for imparting his knowledge, and experience to someone of his own blood. However, he had long given his heart to someone that would never return his feelings and he had resigned himself to never seeing that dream become reality. Now he had a chance to bring it to fruition. The inner struggle was great, and the temptation was very strong for him to say yes.

"Boy… I think it is best that you prepare your things and then return with your mother to your own dimension," he said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"What? Why?" Trunks was completely taken off guard by Vegeta's statement.

"If you wish you may ask Kakkarot's grand brat to go with you. If she consents I will free her from her duties here," he added without answering Trunks' question.

"Father," he said in slow measured tones as he realized that he was not the person that Vegeta wanted to leave. "Are you telling me that you're going to leave mom. I thought that there was something between you guys here. I mean…" He really didn't know how to put it. It was just the way that the two of them had walked out together last night. It was as if they belonged together. He could see it, and everyone else could see it, yet now Vegeta wanted his mother to return with him home. Trunks couldn't fathom what could have caused this rift.

"Do not presume to ask me such questions, boy," snapped his father. "What is between your mother and I is between us."

"If you wish me to return her to our timeline then it involves me as well. I'm the only one who can take her since I have the time machine. If you want me to take her then tell me why," he replied, his tone cool and calculating. His mother's genes weren't the only ones that he inherited.

Vegeta was taken aback by Trunks' words. The boy was blackmailing him, yet however much that angered him, he couldn't help but feel a little hint of pride. Not only was Trunks amazingly powerful, but also shrewd enough to see through his words and then adamant enough to demand his way.

"Do you care about your mother?" asked Vegeta coldly.

"Of course… She is my mother," replied Trunks. Seeing that Vegeta wanted a more detailed answer he continued, "Mom's been the pillar of my life. She's always been there for me, and gave me everything. I don't know what I'd do without her."

"Then if your mother is in danger, you should act. Take her back with you boy, it is the only way to protect her."

"There's no way to know she won't be in danger back home," argued Trunks, his voice raising. "What's the difference?"

"If she remains here, she will die. I have foreseen it." Saying what he had to say, he turned and walked out of the training room.

Trunks just shook his head in disbelief. "You are just thinking about yourself father! What about mom? Doesn't she have a say?" he yelled at his father's retreating form, but his questions were met only with silence.

Trunks sighed deeply, there were going to be some serious problems. He wasn't sure what he could do to change his father's mind, but he was determined to. He had only seen his mother briefly, but Trunks could tell that she was truly happy for the first time in many years. After seeing her eyes sparkling with life again, he would do what was necessary to ensure that they remained that way.

* * *

_A little while later…_

Bulma sat in front of a terminal in Vegeta's room going over some algorithms that Goten had asked her to look over. The formulas were a bit advanced, as Bulma had never seen anything like it before, but she felt that she was getting the hang of it. It would take another hour or two and then she could finish this up and relax. Also, Vegeta would be finished with his training soon, and she looked forward to seeing him. In fact, she really looked forward to seeing him all the time these days.

She didn't need to turn around when she heard the door slide open to know who it was. It was as if she were now somehow connected to him. Whenever he was nearby she could feel his presence. Bulma didn't know exactly what caused this, but she was pretty sure it had to do with the strong emotional attachment that had formed between them; perhaps something in Saiyan biology.

"Woman, we must speak," came his voice.

_There's something wrong…_ flashed a warning through her head. His voice, on the surface, appeared to be full of confidence and his usual arrogance, yet she had heard a slight tremor… a reluctance to speak. That was not usual in Vegeta.

"What's wrong?" she said with a slight hint of trepidation. She didn't like the feel of this.

"Tomorrow Bojack's forces will arrive… you are aware of this?"

"Yeah… I'm running some projections on where they might enter the system for Goten right now. I'm thinking there are only two entrance vectors that are possibly feasible. I'm dropping Goten the figures right now… I want some secondary opinions but I'm pretty sure the figures are solid."

Vegeta was taken a bit aback. That the normally cynical and untrusting Duke de Sirrus had already given her such an important task was very surprising. It frankly amazed him that his minions had accepted her so quickly. Then again this Bulma possessed a charisma that was awe inspiring. There was just something about her that people innately trusted.

"Is that all that's bothering you?" she smirked. The bravado in her voice forced a smile onto his face that he really did not feel. It didn't matter though, he had come for a reason and he had to see it through.

"Prepare your things. You will be returning to your dimension as soon as your son is ready to take you back," he told her, his face an emotionless mask.

"What?" she gasped in utter disbelief. "You… can't be serious… Vegeta."

"You do not belong here woman," he said simply in response. Yet, though his face remained expressionless, Bulma believed she saw a deepening sadness in his eyes and then she understood, or so she thought.

"Vegeta, I understand that you don't want me in danger, but you don't know what life's like for me… there I'm already dead. For twenty years I've been alone. My friends and all my loved ones are gone. I only lived because of Trunks… and for him I found a way to defeat the androids. But he's grown up now Vegeta… He's in love and has his own life now. I'm just an old woman with nothing left. I don't want to be alone anymore Vegeta," she said softly as she slowly approached him. Tears glimmered in her eyes, but for now she held them in check. "There's always danger in life… that's what makes life, life. I can go back Vegeta, but I'll be dead on the inside. No… I choose to live. I choose to stay here with you. I know what's involved and I'm willing to face it as long as I can be with you."

"Woman… you truly are naïve. You misunderstand your place here." Though his tone remained steady, Vegeta felt his own heart begin to pound as she poured her soul into those words. He wanted her to stay with him. He wanted to wake up in the morning with her in his arms. He wanted someone with whom he could share his life with completely, but he would not, could not, endanger her. Vegeta truly hated himself for what he would have to do. "You see woman, you are a weakness. A weakness I cannot afford. Already I spend too much time with you neglecting my duties. My empire stands on the brink of destruction yet I dawdle here with you… so you must go back. If you remain, all I have worked for will perish."

Bulma's eyes widened. "I know you don't mean that… You cannot convince me that you mean that." Her tear filled eyes looked into his searching for the truth.

"Can I not? I have known you for less than a month. Do you think you can, in such a short time, wrap me around your fingers so easily? You are good… but not that good." Vegeta willed himself to hold her gaze, and to project nothing but apathy. It was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life, far more difficult than even the transition into a Super Saiyan.

"I don't believe you... I won't believe you," cried Bulma as tears streamed down her face. She had been afraid, or perhaps even known, that this would eventually happen. Yet, somehow she had deluded herself into believing that life would go her way for once. She had sincerely hoped that this would never come. So much for hope. Unable to stand his presence anymore, she turned and fled the room.

Vegeta watched her leave, already knowing he had made the greatest mistake in his life. Yet, it was a mistake that would ensure her safety, and for that no price was too great.

* * *

_On board The Flagship of Son Goten…_

Trunks sighed as he let the hot steaming water wash over him. His earlier spar with his father had been a full workout. He could see the bruises beginning to develop and winced as he examined a particularly sore spot on his well muscled chest. The old moldy senzu bean that his father had given him had not been enough to eliminate all the injuries that he had received. So when he got back to his room, he decided to take a long hot shower to loosen his muscles and hopefully help ease the soreness that he was sure to follow.

He had only been in the shower for under ten minutes when his extra sensitive Saiyan hearing heard the door chime go off. "Damnit," grumbled the half Saiyan to himself, "I just got into the damn shower. Who the hell could this be?" Turning off the water, he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist as he walked out through the living area to open the door. To his pleasant surprise the person that was waiting for him was none other than Pan.

Pan usually wore very casual clothing. Trunks had only seen her dressed up once when they had gone out for dinner on the cruise ship. Yet, on that occasion she had worn clothing that created an aura of sensuality around her. At the moment, however, she was dressed in full uniform and there was an air of authority around her now that he had never sensed before. It was as if another person was standing there. Her posture was different, her head was held high, and her eyes were demanding. Trunks was taken aback for a second.

"Hey Pan," he greeted after a moment as he stepped out from behind the door. "What're you doing here? I thought that you said you weren't going to be free until later tonight?"

"Uncle Goten let us out of the briefing for an hour break. I figured I'd come down and see what you were up to," she explained as she walked in and looked him over. "You look a bit beat up… who'd you spar with?"

"My father," answered Trunks whilst shaking his head. "We kept our power levels even and I got a beating."

"Ouch…," grimaced Pan in sympathy. She knew first hand how a spar with Vegeta could be. Looking over Trunks she could see that he was tense. "Here lay down and I'll give you a massage for a little while."

Trunks smiled at the offer. "Thanks Pan," he said as he sat down on the couch in the room and then stretched out."

"No problem," chuckled Pan. "I know exactly how it feels to be on the receiving end. The Emperor is a hard task master, but I bet you learned a thing or two from that fight." Trunks just nodded in response as he felt Pan's hands expertly begin to knead his muscles. It felt good. "So, how's your father like in this timeline and that other one you knew him from?"

"It's amazing Pan," replied Trunks. "He's totally different from the man I remembered in the other timeline. I mean… he's not crippled by his pride. The man I remember seemed to be obsessed with power and clinging on to the fact that he was the Saiyajin no Ouji."

"That's… quite disturbing. I've never known the Emperor to be anything else than what he is now."

"Yeah… When I was little I use to dream about him being this great Prince that was loved by his people. When I first met him my dreams were kinda shattered. He's a lot more like the man that I imagined in my youth in this timeline."

Pan was silent for a second. She knew that Trunks had no idea what this timeline was truly like. His father wasn't what he thought he was. "Trunks… it's probably best not to get any preconceived notions about your father… he's himself and you are going to have to take the good with the bad."

"I know Pan… I didn't mean to come off like that… I've barely even spoken to him. It doesn't really matter to me though… I can accept him as long as he makes my mom happy."

Pan chuckled. "Speaking of your mother… I still can't believe that your mother really is Bulma Briefs. I wish this battle would get over with so we can take some time to get to know each other."

"Definitely… Speaking of things that we want to know… what's with the uniform?" asked Trunks. "Are you in the army? I mean… I know you're like a noble or something because of your uncle, but I have no idea what you really do."

Pan was silent. She wasn't quite sure what to tell him. Certainly what she did for Vegeta was confidential, but that really didn't apply in this situation. After all, Trunks' mother was Vegeta's lover and Trunks was his son. Yet, she didn't know how Trunks would take the truth.

"Pan?" asked Trunks as the silence stretched.

"What? Oh… what I do. Yes you can say that I'm a member of the army." _The truth is what I need to tell him. You can't be lovers without full disclosure Pan. _"I'm a member of the intelligence branch to be exact. That's what the red eye on my collar stands for."

"A spy?" he smirked as he turned around to face her. "So… I'm in love with a female James Bond now?"

"I take offense to that… I. Am. Not. A. Slut," retorted Pan and then quieted. "Do you mean that?" she asked after a moment.

"Mean what?"

"That you're in love with me?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

Pan bit her lower lip in trepidation. "Would you still love me if I told you that I've killed people?"

"I'm sure they deserved it," he chuckled though it was a rather fake one. He wasn't exactly sure how the conversation got onto this topic and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know what Pan had done. "Pan, whatever you've done in the past doesn't matter to me. I've killed people—Cell and the Androids. I know I've even killed people on accident in my battles with the Android; I mean with our power levels we blow up whole city blocks. I'm not naïve enough to think that no one could have been in there or weren't hurt on accident. I don't really like to kill or hurt people but sometimes it can't be helped. It's a burden that we all bear."

"Trunks you misunderstand… Let me explain to you my next assignment and maybe you'll get a better understanding. My job is going to be to hunt down your counterpart for treason. He was behind that attack on Capsule Corps."

"Wait…" interjected Trunks. "How do you know he was behind it? Not that I care what you do with him. I'm not exactly fond of him."

"Let me finish and you'll see what I'm driving at," replied Pan. "We know he was behind it because the ship that those assassins came in was chartered by Capsule Corps. They had his personal permission to come and your mother told us that she and the Emperor saw them enter the Capsule Compound with him. Just so you know it's my job to extract the information I need and then terminate him."

Trunks was shocked. Of all things he could have been expecting her to tell him, this was not one. It's not everyday that your girlfriend tells you that she is going to hunt some guy down, torture him, and then dispose of him. Let alone your alternate self. "Wait Pan…"

"To make things even better Trunks," she said cutting him off. "I don't even dislike him. In fact, he's never been anything but friendly to me. But that doesn't matter one bit… I'm going to find him and murder him…" Pan snapped her fingers. "Just like that, and Trunks this isn't a one time thing. I've done this before. I've killed a lot of people in my time. I've prepared dossiers that have completely destroyed people's lives. It was my job and still is my job. So Trunks… I need you to know everything about me… Can you still love me even though you know that I'm an amoral, cruel person?" She hung her head as she finished her confession in a whisper. Pan was terrified of what he was going to say. She wasn't sure she really wanted to know what he thought, but she steeled herself and looked into his eyes only to find horror in the depths of Trunks' crystal blue eyes. "I see," she whispered. _Why did I expect him to be able to handle it? I can't even handle it myself when I think on what I've done… _Pan slowly rose to her feet. She was fighting back tears, but in the end couldn't. "I'll see you around Trunks," she said softly and then walked out quickly. She didn't hear Trunks shout out for her to wait.

Trunks couldn't react. His mind just seemed to shut down for a second. His own emotions were in turmoil. He loved Pan, he knew that much at least. Yet, the things she had said she had done or was about to GO do was a bit of a shocker. He couldn't believe that his fun loving, laid back Pan was a cold blooded killer. It was absolutely outrageous, so for a few moments his mind couldn't bring itself to believe it. When it did finally click he was absolutely appalled at first. However, when he thought about it he understood. He would have killed Dr. Gero in a heartbeat if he could have found him in the past and prevented him from creating the Androids. His alternative mother had confided in him that she had suggested the very thing same thing when she found out what was to come. His own mother wouldn't have had hesitated either. So, in a universe where you couldn't simply wish people back from the dead to indulge your desire for a challenge, you did things that were distasteful. Pan wasn't a bad person at all. He could tell that during her confession that she felt guilty for the things she did. She didn't like doing these things but sometimes people needed to do what was necessary to save other lives.

When Pan stood up and left, Trunks jumped to his feet and shouted for her to wait. However, she didn't seem to be listening or didn't hear him so he started after her. He almost ran out the door to catch her but then realized that he was completely naked. Quickly he tore upon his dresser where he had put his clothes and got dressed. Not wasting another moment he ran out the door looking for Pan so that he could reassure her that it didn't matter to him. He wasn't sure if he really understood everything but it wasn't his place to judge her. He loved her and that was what mattered to him. He knew that she probably thought that he was disgusted with her and was dieing inside and just knowing that he was causing her that pain upset him. So he dashed down the hallway towards her he felt her ki.

Trunks wasn't watching where he was going and felt someone collide with him. This brought up him short and he saw that it was his mother. She looked absolutely awful. She lay on the floor sobbing and didn't get back up to her feet.

"Shit… mom are you ok? I didn't mean to run into you…"

"Trunks… is that you?" said Bulma through her sobs. "Please Trunks… get me out of here. Get me off this ship… get me away from him."

Suddenly he recalled what his father had said to him earlier. He hadn't thought too much about it since he was sure that his father would wait for a while before telling his mother. He had hoped to convince him out of it before he had a chance. _Of course he'd tell her as soon as possible. There's going to be a battle tomorrow and he's terrified that she might get hurt. Of all times… damn that man._ His emotions warred in him for a second, but just a second. He couldn't let his mom down for his own benefit. One look at her and he knew that he couldn't reason with her while she was in this state. He'd have to just go along with what she wanted until she was calmed down enough to talk to. "Alright mom… lets go down to the planet. Don't worry things aren't what they seem."

Taking one more glance down the hallway where he knew Pan was probably sobbing, he thought, _I'm sorry Pan… I'll be back and make everything alright… I love you no matter what._ He then turned and led his mother in the opposite direction towards where they could catch a shuttle down to the planet.


	23. Chapter Twenty Three: A Lady Reborn

AN: Added a section to Chapter 22 so make sure you have read the newest version of that before reading this chapter.

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 23: A Lady Reborn

Chikyuu… 

When Goten learned that his father had been incapacitated by Bulma Y, he had gone cold. Some people got angry when they received news that upset them, but not Son Goten. His voice never rose when two of his men came in and told him what had happened. Instead his eyes seemed to harden just a little bit before he rose and made a call to see that the matter was taken care of.

Marron now flew 15,000 feet above Bulma's speeding motorcar watching and wondering where her destination was. Her sources had tracked Bulma all over the globe and the only reason for such sporadic movement was if Bulma was attempting to collect the Dragonballs. She had known one of them was kept at her parent's home on Kame island, so she had went ahead and snagged that one ahead of time insuring that Bulma would not be able to get all seven. Now she just had to wait until Bulma led her to the other ones.

An hour later Marron dropped down onto the roof of the building that she saw Bulma enter. She entered through the roof entrance and began to make her way to the Capsule office that was located in the building where she was sure that Bulma was heading. Marron had hoped to beat Bulma there but she failed. As she turned the corner she saw Bulma unlock the door to the office and then enter. She hadn't wanted to confront Bulma just yet, but it looked as if she would be forced to. Suddenly voices within the office froze Marron in her tracks.

"Mom! What the hell are you doing aliv… here," came the voice of Trunks Yamcha Briefs.

"What do you mean here?" shot back Bulma. "This is my office and where the hell were you when hell broke loose?"

"Uhh…. I went out for a drive. Marron and I got into a fight and I needed to clear my head."

"I see… So what are you doing here? When did you take an interest in this division?" asked Bulma carefully. She knew something wasn't right. This particular office was for Capsule's financial division and Trunks had never had any interest in finance. There was no reason for him to be here.

"I'm actually here looking for the Dragon Ball that you have here," answered Trunks to his mother. "When I saw the explosions from the Capsule Compound I was afraid that you were killed and so I wanted to get them so that I could wish anyone back that died."

"Well… a lot of people were killed Trunks and we're going to wish them back, but I need the second wish. Did you already find the ball here?"

"Yes," he said as he led her towards the back of the office. "Do you have the dragon radar or are we going to have to pick it up from the house?"

"No. I have it here in my bag. I'm not so old that I'd forget something like that Trunks," snorted Bulma in annoyance at her son's comment.

"How many of the balls have you already collected?" asked Trunks. He quickly glanced at the bag that Bulma was carrying and then quirked his head in one direction.

"I have five… the last one should be at Kame house," she answered. She then stopped when she noticed something move. "Trunks… what the hell was that?"

"Oh… well that's a new friend of mine. Mom, I'd like you to meet Dr. Myuu," smiled Trunks as the orange mustached man stepped out from the shadows. "He's promised to make me king of the world as soon as Emperor Bojack conquers it." Still smiling, Trunks moved right next to his mother. "You know mom… you really should have just died at the house like you were suppose to. It would have made things a lot easier."

"Trrruunks? What are you saying?" stammered Bulma. Of all people to betray her she never thought that her son would. She couldn't quite believe that this was happening. "How… son… How can you do this?"

"Quite easily… you've always treated me as if I were a nobody," he said as he reached over and took the dragon balls and radar from his mother. Bulma, too shocked to resist, simply handed them to him. "But now your times up… you aren't needed anymore mother. I've got new friends."

"Yes. He's absolutely right… there is no use for you Mrs. Briefs. In fact there is no use for either of you," he smirked as he raised his blaster and pulled the trigger twice.

Before she even knew what she was doing, Bulma leapt in front of the blast that was headed for Trunks. Perhaps it was her motherly instinct or perhaps she wanted to do one last deed of good. Nevertheless, she took the full brunt of the blast in the midsection leaving a fist-sized cavity there. By the time she hit the floor, Trunks had already bolted for the door not even bothering to collect the radar or dragon balls.

Dr. Myuu never had a chance to fire off a third shot. Marron, realizing who was really behind Trunks, made her move. She crashed through the wall just as Dr. Myuu was aiming to finish off Trunks. She knocked the blaster out of his hand and struck him against the wall. "Times up, Doctor. It's time to pay up for your treason. I believe it'll cost your life."

"Chataigne… You think you can catch me. You flatter yourself," he laughed as he activated a device that made him disappear. However, Marron was no fool and even though she was many years rusty she was a powerful warrior and even better spook. In fact, she was the one who established Imperial Intelligence for the Emperor so she wasn't fooled by Dr. Myuu's amateur theatrics. She fired a ki blast two feet from the place where he had disappeared and blasted an invisible Dr. Myuu, who was trying to sneak away, through the wall and into the air outside. Not wasting anytime, she floated up right next to the Doctor and smirked a very Vegeta-esque smirk.

"Good bye Doctor," she said as she blasted him into the next dimension.

Turning around, she floated back into the office to get the dragonballs and the radar. Trunks was already long gone, but she didn't really care. The man disgusted her and she didn't even want to set eyes on him. She could have some people pick up the insignificant worm later.

"Marron," a voice whispered and she whirled to see who could have been possibly there. It took her a second to realize that the voice was coming from Bulma who had propped herself up on the wall. Her face was pale and she was dieing fast from blood loss. It was miracle that she was still alive at all, let alone talking. There was nothing she could do for Bulma. Not even a sensu bean could heal a wound of that magnitude so Marron began to turn away. "Marron… please… I don't want to die alone…"

Pity stirred in Marron's heart. She didn't hate Bulma like Goten did. During her years with Trunks, Bulma had always treated her very well. She could almost consider her a friend. But more compellingly, there was something so sad in her voice that Marron couldn't turn away. Without a second thought, Marron went and sat next to Bulma. "Don't worry Bulma, it'll be over soon. Then you'll be in a better place."

The dieing woman smiled a soft cynical smile. "I heard the rumors," she said with effort. "I knew you were more than you let on to be… I wanted you to help Trunks… but I really liked you… I really hoped that you would take over for me…" Bulma lifted a hand and touched Marron's cheek and let lose a half of a chuckle. It was all that she could manage. "Not one person to shed a tear for me… How did it end up like this?" She knew her own answer. She had thrown her friendships away and was betrayed by the one person she thought still cared. Her father and mother would be so disappointed in her. And that brought something to mind that she had to take care of before she died. She couldn't face her father if she didn't. "Marron what will happen to Capsule?"

"It'll be seized by the Emperor and then sold off," answered Marron, "Don't talk Bulma… there will be less pain."

"Fuck the pain," snapped Bulma. For a second Marron thought she saw the determination and sheer personality that had sent the woman on a quest for magical dragon balls, to another planet, and to tame a Saiyan Prince. "Marron… please… please see that the company goes to… goes to… my counterpart… the other Bulma. I don't want to see my father's work destroyed… please."

"I'll try…"

"Promise…" hissed Bulma. "Promise me! For… for…"

"I will see to it that the company will pass to the other Bulma," promised Marron. "Don't worry about it. Now rest."

"Yes… rest," whispered Bulma. She was suddenly so tired. Her life was ending but it was probably for the best. She couldn't do any more harm to her friends and for that she was happy. The happiest moments in her life flashed before her. She remembered her times with Goku, and then the trip to Namek. Most of all she recalled the times she spent with a man who she had turned away for a false dream. For some reason her memories of Vegeta were the last things that flashed in her mind. She recalled all their times together, all the nights of passion, and even all their arguments. "Tell him… tell that mo…n…k…y that I still think of him sometimes," she breathed out with her last breath and died with a small laugh.

Marron shook her head as she stood up. Watching Bulma die had been disturbing. She herself had almost walked the same path. What would have happened if Goten had never come back? What would have happened if she had married Trunks? Would she have turned out so bitter and so alone? Marron was glad she would never have to find out. She never wanted to end up like Bulma. It had to be one of the worst things that life could deal a person; to die unloved alone without anyone in the world to care.

…

_In a shuttle heading for Chikyuu…_

Trunks sat next to his mother fretting nervously. She hadn't said a word since he had taken her aboard the shuttle to go back down to Chikyuu. She had been sobbing before, but once she had gotten off the ship and calmed down a bit, there had been an abrupt change in demeanor. Something seemed to click inside of her, as if her mind was made up. In fact, she handed even looked away from the window. It didn't take psychic abilities for him to feel that anger radiating off of her. He just had to look at how tightly she had her hands were clenched. _Damn my idiotic father…_he thought to himself. Why did the man have to be so stubborn? Couldn't he understand that he was hurting her far more than anyone else could? He knew his mother would rather be dead then face the years alone again.

_Damn that stupid monkey to hell. _That phrase kept running through Bulma's mind over and over. She couldn't believe that he was sending her away. Did he not have any consideration for her feelings? Despite what he said, Bulma was sure that he was sending her away to protect her. He was afraid that she was going to get hurt in this world because of him. Did he think she wanted to be coddled or was unaware of the danger? She'd grown up at the center of society as the heiress to Capsule Corp. Perhaps her life was nowhere near as Byzantine as his but it wasn't as if she was stupid. She could god damn well take care of herself. Worse, opening herself up for the first time in over a decade she had taken a step back into the dance of life. She had felt alive for the first time in an eternity. Now she was feeling the numbness threatening to close in again. _No…_she thought firmly to herself. _I don't want to go back to that. I want to live and if Vegeta doesn't want to be a part of my life then so be it._ Strong words, she knew. Perhaps they would be futile but at the moment she was determined to live them. She turned to her son.

"Trunks… You want to stay in this world don't you?"

"Wha…" Trunks was taken off guard by his mother's question. She hadn't said anything in half of an hour. It took him a second to digest the question. "To be honest mom… yes I do."

"Is it because of Pan?" asked Bulma. Now that she was resolved to move on she wanted to take her mind off of HIM.

Trunks nodded. "Yeah… I've never quite met someone like her before. I mean… she's part Saiyan being Gohan's daughter and all… She's someone I can do anything my Saiyan side crazes with and at the same time she appeals to my human side. She's quite a lady when she wants to be and I swear that girl is constantly surprising me."

"Have you had sex with her?" asked Bulma.

"MOM! What type of question is that!" exclaimed Trunks as his cheeks flared red in embarrassment. That was not a question he was expecting nor was it one he intended to answer.

"I'll take that as a yes," chuckled Bulma. She was in a better mood already. She almost felt bad that it was at the expense of her son. "Are you in love with her?"

Trunks quieted down and his blush slowly faded along with his smile. "Yes mom. I think I am… I really think I'm in love with Son Pan."

"Trunks… don't worry about me. I'll be just fine. I know you want to spend time with her and tomorrow is going to be the big battle."

"No mom… I won't abandon you. I can't let you go back to our dimension alone… there's no one there for you."

Bulma's eyebrow quirked up and she gave him a small smirk. "Who said I was going back? I don't plan on going back at all. At worst I'll just find myself a small residence here on Chikyuu and live the rest of my life out here. You're here as well as Goku and the others. It'll be a lot better than going back."

"But Dad…" Trunks started.

"Let me tell you something, Trunks. I never let your father dictate to me what to do in our timeline and I don't intend to let him dictate to me in this one either. I have no intention to leave regardless of what he says."

"I understand mom," he said quickly. And indeed he did understand and he was happy that she wanted to stay. He hadn't wanted to leave Pan but he would have for his mother. Now he just needed to get her to talk to him and he would patch things all up. Life would be cozy.

"I'm glad you do… oh look," exclaimed Bulma as she glanced out the window. "I haven't seen Chikyuu from space since Namek." The view was breathtaking. Who couldn't be awe inspired by the beauty of the Earth with its blueness streaked by the white of the clouds.

"It is beautiful mom… I've never seen anything like it," replied Trunks, equally as dumbfounded by the sight.

"There is nothing like looking at your home planet Trunks… Nothing like coming home and that's what I feel like I'm doing. Coming home."

_At the Chikyuu Space Dock…_

Marron sat quietly waiting for her shuttle to arrive so that she could return to space and make a brief report. For the first time in five years, she knew without a doubt now, that she needed to return to space; return to him. Bulma's death made her realize that she had a choice to make and she was going to make it. Perhaps it would be brazen of her but she intended to stake her claim on Goten as soon as she got back. She wouldn't make the same mistake as Bulma had made.

When the shuttle finally arrived and the gate opened, Marron was a little surprised to see Trunks and Bulma step off. However, she could fulfill her promise to Bulma Yamcha Briefs conveniently if she spoke to Bulma now.

"Hello Bulma," she said approaching the two. "I need to speak to you for a moment if you don't mind."

"Uhh… sure…" Bulma replied not quite recalling the beautiful blonde's name. She glanced at Trunks for support but apparently he was as ignorant as she was in the matter.

"Marron, my name is Marron. I think we met very briefly at the meeting and I know I've met your son at the Brief's party a little before the attack," she smirked. "I'm the daughter of Krillan."

"Oh my god… Your KRILLAN's daughter?" blinked Bulma as she let the fact that this beautiful woman before her was the direct descendant of little nose-less Krillan. She couldn't help but gape at the woman before her. "I'm sorry but… I'm feeling a little faint." She couldn't believe that Krillan could have such a beautiful daughter. Genetics were a very random thing indeed.

Marron chuckled. "Yes I am. I know I know… I get that a lot. Anyone who meets my dad always can't believe that I'm his daughter. Poor papa."

Bulma was silent for a second. "Can you tell me how I can contact him?" she said quietly. "It's been twenty years since I last sat down and had a talk with him."

"Sure, I'll message you with the information as soon as I get back on board… but there's something I have to talk to you about urgently," said Marron. "Your counterpart here… Bulma Yamcha Briefs is dead and one of her last wishes was for Capsule Corporation to pass into your hands."

"What? She tried to kill me and she's giving me Capsule Corp? Shouldn't it go to her son?"

Marron glanced over at Trunks Vegeta Briefs and saw him standing quietly and patiently with no boredom or annoyance in his eyes. She knew her Trunks would have been fidgeting and angry that he was all but left out of the conversation. This Trunks was also quite a bit more of a hunk. _What is it about Saiyan men that makes them so god damn attractive?_ She thought to herself.

Trunks saw her 'checking' him out. He smiled and winked at her eliciting a small chuckle from her. "Well… Trunks… my former fiancé Trunks is not really the type of man capable of running a company. Not to mention that he sold his mother out and was the one who orchestrated the attack on Capsule Compound. If it wasn't for YOUR son, we would all be probably dead now and Chikyuu dust because of his stupidity."

Marron turned to Trunks and gave him a heartfelt smile, "Thank you, by the way. We wouldn't have survived without your intervention. You have mine and the Imperium's profound thanks."

"Your welcome," replied Trunks, but there was little mirth in his eyes. His smile was a little tight. There was no doubt that he referred to his counterpart when he asked, "He planned that thing? You mean he planned to kill all his family and friends?"

"Yup," replied Marron nonchalantly. It was amazing how she was able to snap back into her old self of five years ago so easily. "Trunks always had a bitter streak in him. Though, even I didn't guess that he would so something like that."

"I can't believe that any version of me could ever do something like that."

"Well, he's not really a version of you since his father is not the same as yours. He's not even close to being the hunk you are my young Saiyan prince," smirked Marron. Trunks flashed crimson and Bulma burst out laughing. "Well… I just wanted to let you know that Capsule will be yours as soon as we can get the paperwork done. That is, if you want it."

"Of course… It's my father's company and the only reason I can see her giving it to me is to make sure it was in good hands. I won't let my father's hard work unravel." Unspoken was the fact that she would have something to do to take her mind off of Vegeta. She could pour herself into her work and rebuild her life even if he never came to her senses. She would have Goku, Gohan, Krillan and her other friends there as well. It was something she never had the chance to do in her timeline. This piece of news was a godsend.

"Well then… I have to get back up to the ship. It was a pleasure speaking to both of you," said Marron as she shook hands with Trunks and then Bulma. The moment her skin touched Bulma's her eyes widened in shock. She stopped and just stared at Bulma."

"What is it Marron?"

Slowly the biggest smile crept onto her face. She actually went and embraced Bulma. "Congratulations Bulma… I don't know what to say. The Empire has been waiting for an heir for a decade. I'm ecstatic for you and my master."

As soon as Trunks heard Marron's words he probed his mother with his own ki senses. Sure enough there was another female ki within her. He was going to have a sister.

Bulma didn't understand the reference at first but within a second she realized that Marron was congratulating her on being pregnant. Her improving mood vanished as memories flashed into her mind of the Vegeta of her time leaving her with Trunks alone. Now it seemed that the same scenario was repeating itself. She had wanted to be able to have a fresh start if need be, but now being with child it would be all the more difficult. Worse, she still wanted to be with him and this link would forever remind her of what could have been. Tears began to well in her eyes.

"Bulma?" asked Marron as she realized that those weren't tears of joy but rather of excruciating sorrow. "What's wrong?"

"Not again," she whispered as she sank to her knees. "No… not again. I don't want to do this again alone." Marron glanced at Trunks to gleam a clue. His expression was unreadable.

"My father left my mother to raise me on her own. Now Vegeta wants mom to leave for her own safety… mom's not taking it too well," he explained.

"I see…" Marron turned to Bulma and grasped her by both sides of the head. "Bulma look at me. Look at ME." Her voice was one of command and even in her despondent state Bulma's eyes instinctively swiveled to the speaker.

"Things will be ok Bulma. Just give it time… Believe me… he will see that sending you away isn't the safest course."

"I don't want to be alone again…"

"You won't be… just relax and let Trunks take you somewhere you can sleep. Everything will be fine tomorrow after the battle. This will just have been a bad dream… ok?"

Bulma nodded almost hypnotically. "Just a bad dream…" she laughed bitterly. "I can't hope for that."

Marron smiled and then turned to Trunks. "Take care of her for now… will I see you later?"

"I hope so," he responded. "I'll be there for the fight… if anything my Saiyan side won't let me miss it."

"Well then… Get some sleep. I'll speak to the Emperor."

"Thanks Marron… and if you see Pan… so she isn't going crazy can you just tell her I understand?"

"Sure thing. I will have to have a little chat with you later… about certain matters. It can wait until after the battle; if we survive that is."

"Whenever is convenient for you then," replied Trunks. "Thanks for the help with my mom, I'll see you for the battle."

Marron gave him a parting nod and then boarded the shuttle going back into space.

…

_A little bit later, In Orbit above Chikyuu…_

_Darkness._ It surrounded Vegeta as he stood in his quarters looking out into the dark expanse of space. Only the soft silver twinkle of starlight shed any light into the room. For Vegeta, darkness was an old friend. Since the destruction of Vegeta-sei he had thrown all his emotions away. He had discarded or had beaten out of him useless emotions such as love, friendship and loyalty. He kept nothing save his pride. Vegeta, Saiyajin no Ouji became the perfect emotionless warrior Frieza had wanted. Yet, because he kept his pride, Vegeta was still a free thinking being and it was only in the darkness; away from the prying eyes of all others did he ever question himself and his deeds.

'_Was it worth it?'_ was the question that Emperor Vegeta asked himself now. Was it worth sending Bulma Briefs away, was her life worth his happiness and perhaps hers as well. Vegeta took another gulp from the wine that was swilling in a crystal class in his hand. _No it wasn't worth it._ He wanted to hold her, talk to her, to argue with her and then ravage her, to milk her for the pleasure she gave him. Every second that she spent with him would have been worth it, but he would not give in to his selfish desires. No, he would not betray her trust in him for his own wants. _You are alone. You have always been alone and always will be. You aren't worthy of anything. You are worthless._ The words that he had heard so often in his youth swept through his mind bringing another wave of depression over him. He was tired. For over fifty years life had battered and bruised him. He had been dealt blows, physically and mentally, that would have crushed a lesser man again and again by the universe. Vegeta took another drink and then sat slowly. He was tired of it all, tired of caring and feeling, tired of playing games. Continuing to drink, he finally began to feel the effects and he slowly dozed off quietly into a dreamless sleep.

An unknown amount of time later he awoke suddenly to the sound of a small clinking of glass. Looking down he became aware that someone had covered him with a light blanket. His grogginess dissipated immediately and his eyes searched the room for the perpetrator. A small shadow slowly moved towards him and in silence poured him some more wine.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to wake you," spoke the female voice.

"Hmmph," was his only reply as he picked up the glass and took a sip. The small nap did him good. At least he wasn't thinking about the woman anymore. Of course that very thought brought her back into his mind. "You've finally turned up, I see. Why are you here?" he asked impatiently while at the same time glad for the company.

"For a talk… for me, as much as for you," she replied and then with a smirk said, "Security has really declined since I've been here hasn't it?"

"Well if you're done with wallowing in your self pity, you might want to consider fixing that problem now wouldn't you?"

"I'll see to it later." He could hear her take a sip of wine and then set the glass on the table. "You know. I fear it too."

"What are you talking about?" snorted Vegeta all the while knowing exactly what she meant.

"You know I betrayed him. I left him without a reason knowing that he wouldn't chase me. And then he returns he finds me about to be married to another man," she said, not answering the question. "Interesting scenario isn't it?"

"You should sell the rights and quit pestering me with the details," he growled. She was up to something. It was dark and he couldn't see her face, but he could picture the smirk on her face.

"Well then, how about another story? It took me a while to figure out and I think it will interest you."

"I don't want to listen to your stupid stories. They always have some type of moral at the end that disgusts me."

"I've titled it, the Prince and the Heiress," she said again ignoring his comment. She was one of two people who could safely do that. "It's quite the tragedy." When there was no response back she continued, "Once upon a time there was a powerful unfeeling prince who served a tyrant emperor. One day he traveled to a distant world seeking immortality. However, once there he was defeated by a group of warriors who fought for 'peace, justice, and equality for all!' In non bullshit terms, they were fighting for their very survival."

Vegeta couldn't help but let out a little chuckle at the sarcasm and utter contempt that her voice had for peace and its friends. "So what's the point of this story, you are wasting my time woman."

"Oh… I think not. I'm just recapping a few things to set the context. A good story needs background. Anyway, this Prince was defeated but he licked his wounds and went to Planet Namek where little green men sang happy songs and played together happily. There he sought another way to gain immortality, but lo and behold his hated emperor was there searching for the same thing. Yet, that's not important. His rival defeats the emperor blah blah blah. What is important is that he meets a certain blue haired heiress and after the final confrontation with the Emperor he goes to Earth and dwells together with her as her guest. Over the years their hearts warm up to each other and then the two have a passionate affair. Am I wrong in this?"

There was no response from Vegeta, so she continued, "I'll take that as a no. Well from what I can make out there was some sort of rift between the two and the Prince left for good. There he dwelt for twenty tears and became a great Emperor. Then one day a woman that reminded him greatly of his former lover appeared. In fact the woman was the same woman but from another dimension. The affair heated up again for the Prince never wholly gave up the love he held for the heiress and this new improved model freed old memories and desires. But people change, and the cold Prince had gained a sense of honor over the years. Believing that he was endangering his beloved's life he sent her away. Does this story sound familiar?"

"This story is none of your business brat," answered Vegeta somewhat dangerously. He did not like to have his private life or his past revealed.

"Would you like to know how I put two and two together?" continued Marron. She knew she was getting him angry and that was always an unhealthy thing. Yet, she knew that if she just flat out told him that he had a child that he would probably not change his decision but even feel more honor bound to send Bulma away. She needed to make him think about what he wanted and what she, Bulma, wanted.

"Yes. Enlighten me."

"Her lasts words to me were 'Tell that monkey I still think of him sometimes," she recalled.

"What? Last words?" The shock was evident on Vegeta's face.

"Yes, the last words of Bulma Briefs. She told me that she still thought about you sometimes and it was then that I realized why you had ended your celibacy. The stories that my parents had told me and other clues all fit together."

"How did she die?" he asked softly. Though she had rejected him, even after all these years Bulma Briefs still did have a place in his heart. The happy times that they shared together were etched in his memory and though he felt no pity for her, he still felt a sense of loss.

"She was betrayed by her son and slain by Dr. Myuu. She died alone without anyone in the world to care. A sad fate, I think."

"Yes, indeed."

"And it is that fate that I fear too. Just as you do Master."

"Perhaps we deserve such a fate no? For the acts we have committed. Have you ever thought about that brat?"

Marron was taken aback a bit. She had not expected him to take such a fatalistic view on things. Yet, she couldn't help but agree, at least somewhat. "Yes, perhaps so," she answered, "But I won't throw away my chances…"

Her point was obvious to Vegeta. "If she remains with me she will die. I have foreseen it. If she remains it changes nothing. At least this way she will live out the rest of her life."

"Master… everything comes to an end. Take the chance in this. You will not have to rule alone."

"I don't rule alone now do I? I have you brats telling me what I should and shouldn't do," smirked Vegeta.

Marron chuckled. "The people need security. They need to know that their Emperor is wed and will have an heir to keep peace."

"The people seek to overthrow me now. What do they care about me or mine?"

"Master, this is simply the after effects of the war. A rebellion tests the strength of your rule. It was bound to happen eventually. You know that as well as I. Crush this one without mercy and another one will not spring up," she said. "No… peace and stability will not be achieved in your lifetime or mine… but perhaps in your daughter's."

"My daughter?" asked Vegeta puzzled. "What do you mean my daughter? I have no chil…" And then Vegeta realized what Marron was saying. He had an unborn daughter that was now being carried within the womb of Mirai no Bulma. His eyes widened in shock and then narrowed. Without warning his hand streaked across the desk and grabbed Marron's hair and Vegeta dragged her across the table. With a jerk he brought her face up to his and his gaze bore into hers looking for any deception within. "You play this game to tell me that I have a daughter, that Bulma is with child?"

"Yes…," hissed Marron in pain. Fear danced in her eyes, but they were resolute.

"I see through your game brat. Do you take me for a fool?"

"No. Never." His face was inches away from hers and she could see the anger that danced in his eyes. So hot did that anger burn that for a moment she thought she had done the wrong thing. That she had ensured Bulma's departure and perhaps her own demise. And then a chime sounded once, then twice, and then a third time.

"What is it?" snapped Vegeta letting Marron go.

"Your Imperial Majesty, Lord Sirrus wished to inform you that we've detected hyper footprints. Thousands of them… Sir the enemy is here and he requests you for conference as soon as possible."

"Tell him to meet me in the conference room."

"Yes, Majesty," came the reply and the com went silent.

Turning to Marron, "Go down to Earth and ask that boy if he wants to fight then he needs to scurry on up here. You will remain down on Chikyuu and watch for any other signs of sabotage or infiltration. Do not contact me. I will find you and the woman when this is over." Vegeta walked passed her. "Understood?"

Marron nodded. With her back turned to him, he didn't see a smile creep on her face as he left. There was one more thing she had to do and this one was going to be far more frightening than a confrontation with her Master. If Son Goten rejected her, she didn't know what she was going to do.

…

For Son Goten, power was no stranger. Yet, unlike many who fell for its seductive song, he shouldered it as a burden. It was on days such as this that he contemplated returning to Chikyuu for good. He longed for the fresh crisp air of Mt. Paotzu, to fish once again in the cold crystal clear streams that flowed down its slopes, and to smell the sweet scents of homemade cooking that wafted through the air near his mother's home. However, fate had other plans for him and he knew it.

Looking out the window he could clearly see the thousands of ship that were speeding through the void of space. Already, he and Vegeta had met and had given orders for his fleet to assume their own defensive positions. The enemy fleet wouldn't arrive for another eight hours and he had sent all of his unnecessary crew to catch a few hours of sleep before the battle. Even as he stood there, the civilians were being evacuated and Earth itself was placed on high alert. In all the major cities citizens were being rushed to shelters. Goten was sure that the enemy would try to bombard the planet from afar and though he knew he couldn't prevent all of them from completely missing, he would make sure that as few of the nuclear tipped warheads would enter Earth's atmosphere.

A chime sounded in his room, jarring him from his thoughts. He stretched out his ki senses and smirked as he realized who it was.

"Enter," he said. The door swooshed open and he could see her framed in the doorway her long blonde hair flowing down her shoulders and her eyes troubled. She did not enter.

"Goten, I don't have much time. Our master has ordered me to the planet and I have to catch the next shuttle out. I just came to tell you something," she said quickly and then fell silent trying to compose her thoughts. Goten didn't rise out of his seat. He simply quirked a questioning eyebrow at her and waited patiently for her to continue.

"You were right," she stated simply still standing in the doorway. "I thought I could leave it all behind, but now I realized that I've been hiding from myself. I think I finally realized this today. Once you've been out there, you are never the same."

Goten simply nodded and stood up. "I've thought about coming back for many years now. In the end, duty and the less altruistic fact that I like what I do keeps me out there. I can never fit back in the Chikyuu mold. I'm quite surprised that you lasted as long as you did," he said as he walked over to her and took her hand in his own. "Come sit for a while. You can leave on the next shuttle."

She smiled at him with a sad smile and nodded her head. He sat her on the couch and then got up and walked to the counter. "Wine?" he asked. Not really waiting for an answer he grabbed two glasses.

"Please," she answered. She looked at him then for the first time in many years. Since he had returned to Chikyuu she hadn't had a real chance to be alone. Their reunion at Trunks' party had been too emotional for her. All the other times had always been on business and there just hadn't been a time or perhaps desire on her part to really look at him as she once did. Now for the first time she looked at Goten, not the Duke, but simply Goten her lifelong friend and former lover. She couldn't help but feel her heart skip a beat. He had always been handsome, and he had always had a fabulous body like every other Saiyan. Yet, now he had been tempered by the years and maturity had added a quality he did not once have. His bearing had changed into one that made him seem far more self assured, but not arrogant. He radiated an aura of power, danger, and caring at the same time. It was a difficult phenomenon to describe. However, this was not what Marron saw that made her heart go out to him. No it was his eyes. They had a tired look that cried out for rest, or perhaps simply someone to talk to. It was then she realized that Goten must have been alone for those eight years that she had been gone. There would have been no one to confide to. Who could he have possibly had a heart to heart with? Anyone from the Empire was suspect. He could never trust anyone fully with his position. Of the people who he could trust they weren't quite the people who could understand him. Vegeta was not the most talkative person and she knew he didn't understand them anyway. After all he was raised in an environment where cutthroat politics had been the norm. As for Pan, she was far too young and the rest of his family would never understand why he did what he did. No, when she left she left him alone. The sharp needle like pain of guilt seeped slowly into her chest. For the first time in years she felt tears begin to gather in her eyes. She had betrayed him, someone she loved and truly cared for. The thought truly hit home with its full impact for the first time.

Goten could feel the distress in Marron's eyes. It had been a very long time since he had seen her so un-composed. She, like him, had been forged in the hell of war and its aftermath. Slowly he set the wine classes on the table and sat down next to her, enfolding her in his arms. "What's wrong?" he asked gently.

"Nothing… Nothing at all," she said pulling away and trying to fight back the tears that threatened to fall. "It's nothing… just some old memories and thoughts."

"It has been a long time since I've seen you so distraught," he said slowly. "Share… the burden will always be easier if you share it."

_And there it was. Could he make her feel any worse?_ She laughed bitterly to herself. "It's not a burden Goten. It's guilt… guilt for things done long ago," she said softly. "I guess today has made me realize many things that I'm not proud of."

"The eve of battle always makes us reexamine ourselves. With death just a breath away, I think everyone of us is pondering our past actions. You aren't alone in this Marron."

"I know," she replied. Though the events of the day were the cause of her own soul searching, she knew his words to be true. She knew that there was no guarantee that he would live through the coming battle. In the chaos of war, nothing was assured and this time Goten would be fighting in the front lines against odds that were stacked against him. Marron reached up and touches his face, the first time she had touched him in eight years. Looking deep in his eyes she could see the pain and the hurt there. She could see the loneliness and she finally loss the iron grip she kept on herself. A single tear escaped and rolled down her cheek.

Goten's eyes widened at the sight. The Marron he had known since she was 17 had never shed a tear. Not at the sight of the most unspeakable atrocities and cruelties. Not even when she herself was put to torture. Yet, here she was sitting before him about to break down. She looked so sad, so vulnerable, and so beautiful. He wouldn't let her go again. She was his… just as he was hers. He couldn't help but lean over and taste the salty tear. He could sense her body's response, her breath catch and the slight shiver that went through her. He pulled back and kissed her as he had always kissed her before, with passion and desire.

Marron stiffened slightly as she felt him mash her lips against hers. She didn't expect him to be so aggressive and feelings of guilt still plagued her. _Did she really deserve him? _"Goten…" she said as she pushed him away gently, "Now isn't the time..." The look in his eyes silenced her. She felt a shiver down her spine as she saw the scorching flame that burned in his eyes. Her resolve began to falter as he ignored her and gently nipped down her neckline to her breasts. He wasn't going to let her go, and she realized that she didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay in his strong arms and feel his body moving against her. "Goten… I'm sorry…" were her last coherent words before desire to complete the coupling drove all other thoughts from her mind, and the two began the sensuous ritual that would bind them together as one. And on that day, on the eve of battle, the Marchioness de Toulon was born again anew in the flames of desire and passion.

_One hour later…_

Son Pan stalked through the deck of her Uncle's flagship. He was supposed to meet with the Emperor and his staff thirty minutes ago. It was extremely unlike him to be tardy unless something was seriously wrong. When she had searched for his ki, she had been surprised when she found it closeted next to Marron's. She had been about to go fetch him when Vegeta had stopped her. He simply stated that the current staff that was there would give him an update on everything except the battle. When Goten got there, then they could plan out the battle strategy. Time was abundant, as the fleets couldn't meet for hours yet because of basic physics. However, after thirty minutes had passed Vegeta had become impatient and had sent Pan to fetch Goten regardless of the 'condition' he was in.

As Pan reached her uncle's cabin, she saw the doors slide open and Marron step out. She was dressed as immaculately as ever and her hair was perfect, not a strand out of place. Pan never really understood why women would waste so much time in making everything perfect. Of course there were times when one had to look spectacular, even perfect, but those were rare occasions such as Imperial balls or receptions. The thing about Marron was that she was always like that.

That wasn't the only thing that disturbed Pan about the daughter of Krillan and Android 18. She didn't know why, but she had always thought of Marron as someone fake. Ever since she had met the woman when she had returned from space, Pan had the feeling that Marron was always putting on some sort of persona for show. Also it was the way she looked at people as if she were evaluating their worth. She seemed to size up people with a glance and then consciously choose to decide to associate with them or not depending on who they were. _Maneater, that is what she is_, thought Pan. It was no wonder why she and Trunks Y. got together. She was sure that Marron had chosen Trunks specifically because he would be useful to her. As she looked over the woman one more time she couldn't help but wonder why the hell Marron was even on the ship in the first place. There was no reason for a civilian to be here even if she was a friend of the Duke. That in itself didn't make any sense since Goten had come back five years ago when he had taken Pan, herself, to the Imperium. During that visit he never even went to say hello to Marron; surely if they were friends then he would have spoken to her.

"Pan," greeted Marron with a bright perfect smile, "The uniform suits you."

"Thank you, Marron. Sorry, I can't chat but I need to fetch my uncle. He's tardy for a meeting with the Emperor," replied Pan. _There is no way that smile is real. I need to find out what's going with her._

"No apology needed. It's an unhealthy thing to make the Emperor wait," she said with a slight chuckle. "Oh… your boyfriend Trunks wished me to relay a message to you."

Pan blinked. That was the last thing she needed to think about at the moment. She had been lucky that she had been so busy since she had last spoken to him earlier in the morning. There hadn't been a minute to think about her own problems and she had firmly pushed thoughts of the lavender haired Saiyan to the back of her mind.

"Don't worry, Pan," reassured Marron. "He told me to tell you that he understands. The only reason why he isn't here right now is because his mother is really… in a bad emotional state and he had to take care of her. He'll see you shortly and tell you himself. He just wanted to me to tell you so you didn't have to worry about anything, ok?"

_Trunks understands_ Pan closed her eyes and breathed deeply. It really was a burden lifted off of her shoulders. "Thanks Marron," she said genuinely. "You don't know how good it is to hear that."

"Any time… we're practically family," said Marron before she let out a little light laugh at her own joke. "I'll see you later Pan."

Pan frowned as Marron turned and walked away. There was something to that comment that she couldn't quite place. And the way Marron was walking… she was definitely walking funny.

Deciding that she could ponder Marron later, Pan chimed the door to her Uncle's quarters. Without even a 'who's there?" the door slid open. Somewhat bewildered at her Uncle's lack of caution, Pan stepped in. The first thing she noticed was the lingering scent of passion in the air. _THAT SLUT! SHE'S SEDUCING MY UNCLE!_ The thought flashed through Pan's mind accompanied with a burst of anger. _So Trunks isn't good enough for her… only the richest guy on Chikyuu. No… instead she has to go after an Imperial Duke. Maneater indeed._

"Did you forget something?" came Goten's voice from the bath area. "Or did you come back for more?" A moment later he came out. Pan saw that he was in the process of zipping up his uniform pants and that he was still shirtless. Completely dumbfounded and needing to sit down she dropped down onto the couch to try to recover her senses. However, as soon as she started putting things together she realized that the couch was the only place that they could have had sex since the scent was in the living room and not in the bedroom. She leapt up off the couch with a look of horror.

"Oh it's you Pan. I apologize for being late. Let me finish dressing and I'll be there in a second."

"Uncle… Goten?" sputtered Pan. "Did you and Marron?"

"Did Marron and I what?" replied Goten as he began buttoning up his shirt. The realizing what Pan obviously had figured out. "Oh… Yes."

"Uncle… is there a reason why you are sleeping with someone else's fiancé? And if she would cheat on him doesn't that say something about her?"

"Trunks is a sniveling piece of shit… I know you are still friends with him but the truth is the truth. Marron is mine… and if that worm comes within two miles of her I'll kill him."

The possessiveness in his voice was startling. _How could Marron have gotten him curled around her finger so quickly? Dende! He's the damn Iron Duke… He's suppose to be immune to feminine wiles._ Pan couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Uncle Goten… Is that why she is on the ship?"

"No… she had an errand to run for me."

"So she is one of your agents. For how long as she worked for you?"

"She doesn't work for me. She was doing me a favor…"

"I see…" Pan didn't know exactly what to do. She was sure that Marron was after her uncle for his status and the power that he could give to her. She was sure that the bitch was a power monger. However, she had no idea how to breach the subject with her uncle. Now, on the eve of a battle that would decide whether they would live or not, was not the right time to be arguing whether the girl he was seeing was a conniving whore. She decided it would be best to confront Marron instead. She was sure that she could at least put the fear of God into that girl and maybe keep her away. "I'll see you at the meeting Uncle."

"Alright Pan… Tell our master that I'll be there in five minutes."

AN: Sorry for the Delay… going to Vegas see you when I get back .


	24. Chapter Twenty Four: Armageddon

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.  
A Brief Moment in Time  
Chapter 24: Armageddon

_High above earth…_

Vegeta stood upon the bridge of the fleet's flagship next to Goten. The two watched without a word spoken as they saw a thousand ships jump out of hyperspace before them. Waves upon waves of destroyers, cruisers, and dreadnaughts began to spread out to surround the planet.

"This will be interesting…" commented Goten with a smirk. "I don't think we've ever fought at such odds before."

"Is that clown of your father ready?" asked Vegeta ignoring Goten's comment. "They are spreading out and if that fool doesn't get that Genki Dama ready in time we'll lose our chance."

"It'll be ready," said Goten. He tapped the com unit on his wrist. "Dende, please have Hercule begin to solicit energy."

"On it, Goten," came Dende's gentle voice.

A minute later everyone in the fleet could hear the voice of Hercule clearly as he spoke through Dende.

"People of Earth! You all know me as the Greatest Martial Arts Champion of all time. You know that I saved you all from the destructive creature called Cell! You know that I saved you from Majin Buu! Time after time I've saved you all!

_Now our planet is danger again. This time from the rebels of the Imperium. If we do not defeat them it will be the end of our planet. So, despite my age, I have come forth to champion Earth again! _

_Now you all are probably what can one man do against a fleet of a thousand ships. Remember that I am Hercule Satan! The greatest Martial artist ever! I have developed a new technique but I can't do it alone. All of you must contribute some of your energy so that I can collect enough energy to destroy the enemy fleet! All you have to do is raise your hands! Raise them and wish that I receive your energy and it will be done! Help me help you! If we all combine our powers… if everyone man and woman and child help we can win. So I, the CHAMP, am telling you all to raise your hands and help save our world. Are you with me? Good… Now raise your hands!"_

Vegeta blinked in surprise when the speech was done. Turning to Goten, he asked, "Who wrote that pathetic speech?"

Goten shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe Pan, maybe Marron. Who knows." Glancing towards the window he saw his father floating in the vacuum of space with his hands outstretched. The energy ball that was forming was gigantic. Ever so slowly it was growing and growing. "It's too bad we couldn't have this ready the moment they entered into orbit. We could probably have wiped half of them out."

Vegeta nodded. "Bojack would have sensed it. I doubt he is a complete imbecile."

"True… well it's your turn now. Time to make your speech," smirked Goten.

Vegeta shot Goten a glare that would've probably killed a lesser man as he stepped forward into a holographic projector. "It is time to throw the gauntlet," he said. "You may begin transmission brat."

_Hear me traitors…_ began Vegeta with utter scorn in his voice. _You who have betrayed me and seek now to destroy me have made your final mistake. You will die here and your name purged forever. There will be no mercy for those of you who continue to follow Bojack in his folly. _

_However, I am magnanimous. I give you this one chance to repent your decision to join Bojack. You have 25 minutes to turn around and jump out of this system. If your ship is within this system when this time is up, you will be destroyed no questions asked._

That is all.

As soon as the communication line was cut, Vegeta turned to Goten. "Have your father fire that bloated energy ball at the flagship. Maybe we'll get lucky and Bojack will die and the rest will run away."

"Maybe pigs will fly too," snorted Goten as he tapped his communicator again.

"Dad, toss the spirit bomb to where we were talking about early. After that Vegeta will meet you."

"Goten that wasn't twenty-five minutes like you promised! It wasn't even one minute!" cried Goku with shock in his voice.

"We never said we'd wait twenty-five minutes before attacking," replied Goten patiently. "Vegeta said that if they were still here in twenty-five minutes there would be no mercy and no questions asked before we blow them up. He didn't mention anything about a grace period."

"Goten… This isn't right."

"Dad… if we don't put some action behind our words no one will leave. As soon as the spirit bomb detonates they are all going to have second thoughts about this attack. That's what we want."

There was no response for several moments and Goten was beginning to get frustrated. Looking over to Vegeta he saw him leaning against a bulkhead with his patented smirk and a look that said, "I told you."

After almost ten seconds had passed Goku spoke again, "Ok son, I trust you." In the same instant Goten turned and saw the Genki Dama hurtling towards the enemy fleet at an incredibly speed.

The distances between the fleets were still enormous. Even at the near light speed that the Spirit bomb was traveling it still took over 2 minutes for it to reach its target and detonate. The amount of energy unleashed was tremendous and ships simply disintegrated in the explosion. What was once solid matter turned into gas within seconds.

Both Goten and Vegeta weren't paying any attention to the fireworks. Instead, both of them had their eyes fixed upon the tactical screen. They saw almost a hundred and fifty dots flicker and blink out. In addition to those kills, the nearby ships were also undoubtedly damaged. It was basically what they expected, and they were still ridiculously outnumbered. However, if their cards were placed right, many of the other ship captains would lose their courage and flee. After all, they didn't know if there was only one Spirit Bomb or many.

"It's time to go outside brat," said Vegeta as he stood up and began to walk towards the door. "We don't have much time."

Goten nodded in agreement. He took one last look out the bridge view screen and could still see the after affects of the Genki Dama. One hundred and fifty ships with crews of at least 10,000 living beings each had been obliterated in a second. 1.5 million lives gone. _It was unfortunate,_ he thought to himself. It was an absolute waste of lives. Bojack was responsible for all this and Goten swore that he would pay the ultimate price.

…

_On the other side… _

Emperor Bojack was an imposing figure. He towered over his subordinates and was significantly broader of shoulder. His penetrating gaze was that of a hawk's. It was cold, calculating, and it missed nothing. More than one sentient had been bent to his will by a single glare. Bedecked in Imperial black, his orange hair cascaded down his back as if it were a stream of molten lava. Yet, it wasn't only his looks that intimidated his enemies and allies alike. He had always carried with him an aura of danger. Like the Emperor and the Duke de Sirrus, he rarely ever lost his cool. Like them, when he moved, he moved like a predator on the hunt. He was at the top of the food chain and knew it.

Only a frown crossed his rugged blue face when the spirit bomb detonated in the center of the fleet sweeping over a million lives away. "Spread the fleet out," he ordered calmly to his bridge crew even as his flagship trembled from the aftershocks of the explosion. This turn of events did not please him. In fact it made him furious. He had wanted to end this battle quickly but now he sensed that it wouldn't be the case. It would be a fight and dissipating his fleet was the only sensible order he could give in case the Chikyuu-jins had more of whatever that was.

"Admiral Arssil," he called out calmly. "What were our losses?"

"One hundred and forty nine ships, your majesty," replied the sibilant creature that had replaced Bujin as his chief of staff. "We still possess two hundred and ninety six capital ships."

"Any desertions?" he asked carefully avoiding the use of Vegeta's name or title.

"Yes. With their attack and desertions, we've lost about 30 of our fleet already."

"Three hundred ships in a matter of minutes," he whispered to himself. It was ridiculous, but he should have known that failing to kill the Emperor would cause him headaches in the future. "And their numbers? How many ships do they have?" he queried.

"Four hundred and twenty. Only one hundred and twenty capital vessels."

"Order the fleet to break up into units of three capital ships each with appropriate escorts." Turning his attention to his personal battle display he tented his fingers. He knew that he was facing the greatest strategist that the northern galaxy had ever seen. Unlike many of the past warlords that had been crushed under the Duke's heel, Bojack had no delusions of grandeur. He was well aware of his opponent would defeat him in a fair battle in space. That was why he had sent his apprentices ahead to assassinate him. He had two great advantages: his and his disciple's ki power and surprise. One had been utilized and had succeeded exactly as he planned. The appearance of a powerful ki user at Chikyuu, unfortunately, told him that his disciples were dead and had most likely failed in their mission. Regardless, whether Sirrus was dead or not wouldn't matter. That was why he had gathered an armada of a size that had never been seen before. Even with all the losses he had still enjoyed overwhelming odds.

"Majesty… if we do that they will be able battle us piecemeal," cautioned his chief of staff. "We will take significantly more casualties." Bojack felt a surge of anger as his order was questioned. However, he allowed his subordinate some leeway. After all, he was right.

"Perhaps, but if their leader does not proportion their fleet properly we will wipe them out. We do outnumber them after all," smirked Bojack.

"I doubt the Duke would misplay his hand."

Bojack only nodded in agreement. "I agree. If Sirrus is alive then we will take tremendous casualties, but if it's the Emperor leading instead…" Bojack just gave a shrug. "Regardless, we need to force them to spread themselves out as well and I know exactly how." An evil grin crossed his face. "Order all ships to fire a full spread of missiles."

"Sir? We are still out of range. If we let the missiles go ballistic1 their defense systems will pick them off with ease at this range. They have all the time in the world to calculate the trajectories."

"Yes… that is if we are firing at their ships," said Bojack, a smile crossing his face as he saw understanding dawn on his underling's face. He had no doubt that the Chikyuu-jins would spread themselves out in response to his actions. Once that happened they would have no chance and when the Duke de Sirrus and the Emperor were destroyed there would be no one left to challenge his authority. He would rule unchallenged over the northern galaxy. He would then turn and destroy Cooler and that ridiculously frail empire. Once that was done he would sweep southward and conquer whatever pathetic polities ruled there. The galaxy would be his. "That's right. Launch at the planet." He couldn't help but feel smug.

…

_On board Sixth Fleet's Flagship… _

Goten stood quietly looking out into space. He knew he should have left the flagship and been out in space preparing with the other Ki users and Emma's taskforce for their strike. However, he knew what Bojack would do and he couldn't tear himself away from the bridge. Least of all, he couldn't allow Hashiba to shoulder the blame for what was about to happen. He doubted anyone else besides himself and perhaps Vegeta and Marron had an inkling of the enemy course of action. This was a horror that they had seen before. It was the horror of the Union Wars.

"M'lord, enemy fleet has launched missiles," said Admiral Hideyoshi with a confused look on his face. "Fools, don't they know that we can intercept them all without even breaking a sweat?"

"No, Hashiba," sighed Goten heavily. "No… he knows exactly what he is doing. Bojack is no fool. He's launching them at the planet." He didn't even need to turn around to see the stunned looks on the faces of his crew. Like all of them, he had friends and loved ones on Chikyuu. His mother, sister and lover were on the planet still. Yet, his voice was calm when he issued his next order. "Tell Emma to prepare to launch her attack. You will take this task force and destroy as many of the incoming missiles as possible."

"M'lord!" protested Hashiba in a near shout. The normally composed man's face was ashen. "There's no way we can intercept all of them with half the fleet… especially with the ships I have available here! There are almost four thousand of them!" While almost every member of Sixth Fleet knew that if they failed the planet would be destroyed, none of them had imagined that victory would cost such a heavy price. It was easy to give up ones life in defense of home and family. It was another to sacrifice them for victory.

"I know… just do your best. It is a necessary sacrifice for us to prevail. It's that or be completely wiped out," replied Goten as he turned around. "I'm asking you all to trust me." His voice was absolutely calm despite his internal turmoil. His face was an emotionless mask. "Hashiba. The bridge and command are yours." Without another word he left the bridge to meet the rest of the strike force-leaving behind a bewildered crew.

Ten minutes later Goten flew out to join Trunks, Pan, the androids and Krillan along with three-fourths of sixth fleet's capital ships. Vegeta, Goku, his brother and the other Z-fighters were being held in reserve. Right now they were helping destroy the enemy missiles. It wouldn't be enough though. Goten knew that already.

"Emma, it's time," he said softly into his communicator and then snapped his scouter on. He looked at the other fighters and could see the look of horror and disbelief on their faces. Only Trunks looked at him with confidence.

"I know what you're up to," said the young dimensional traveler. "It'll work don't worry."

Goten was surprised at the young man's confidence. He wasn't sure if Trunks really knew what the plan was but from the young man's attitude it appeared that he knew. Goten was about to ask when he was prevented from doing so by a beep on his communicator.

"Sir…" came the Vice-Admiral's shaken voice. "M'lord we're ready, but I think it's possible for us to send a few ships to—"

"No, Emma," said Goten flatly cutting her off. "We will need every ship. Hashiba and the others will have to make do. Now let's go."

There was silence for a few moments before the orders finally came. "All units move out," came Emma's voice. It was hard and filled with anger. "It's time to make that bastard pay."

…

_And on Earth…_

The wind howled around her as she gazed upon the deserted streets of Satan City from a hill in Hercule Park. It was already evening and the sun had set hours ago. On a normal day Satan City would still have been bustling at this hour. There would have been tourists taking pictures, families going out to dinner, and youngsters going clubbing. Mothers and children would be playing in the park and young couples would have been stealing quiet kisses amongst the trees. The sounds of horns would have filled the air and shouts of both anger and happiness as well. Yet it was not the sound of these things that drifted upwards toward the aqua haired woman. From her vantage point only the sound of silence could be heard. Indeed, today was not a typical day. Today was the day of revelation. It was the Day of Judgment and the battle would be fought a hundred thousand miles above Chikyuu. Millions of combatants would clash in a titanic struggle and the outcome would not only decide the fate of the billions of souls on Chikyuu, but the fate of the entire galaxy.

Empty cities, deserted streets, and silence were things she was accustomed to. How many cities like this had she walked through? How many desolated and destroyed places had she ransacked for provisions and material? She had lost count long ago. The feelings of fear or dread that would unnerve the ordinary did not affect her in the least.

As Bulma stood staring into the night sky she tried hard to resolve her feelings. Her anger was spent and her tears had been shed. In her youth she had always been emotional, but the years of horror and loneliness had tempered her. Now she firmly crushed her emotions and analyzed the situation with her rational mind.

His words earlier had been hurtful. They had ripped her heart asunder, but Marron's words to her came back to her: _Just give it time… Believe me… he will see that sending you away isn't the safest course_. She was aware that Marron had a special relationship with Vegeta and if she also suspected that he was sending her away for her own safety then it was probably true. Even if it weren't, she would take matters into her own hands. So much of her life had been spent passively listening to others. Vegeta loved her. There was no doubt of this in her mind. Now all the she had to do was to make him accept it.

"Ma'am," came a soft but firm voice from behind her. "You should be in a shelter. It's not safe for you out here."

She had to restrain herself from laughing. The citizens of the city had been evacuated for their own safety. While this seemed a prudent precaution, Bulma knew better. If Vegeta, Trunks, and Goku couldn't stop what was coming then shelters were useless. She understood that, unlike her own apocalyptic world where a few had survived, this time there would be no survivors. This battle wasn't about a few androids having fun at the expense of humanity. This time it was about power and control. It didn't take a genius to figure out that you wiped your enemies out. Leaving them behind to extract revenge was a foolhardy thing. Frieza had understood that fact well and Bulma was sure that this Bojack would be no different. Chikyuu would go the way of Vegeta-sei.

"Ma'am?" queried the soldier again when Bulma didn't respond or even turn to face him.

"The shelters will not protect us from what is coming," she stated simply. "Look at the skies above."

As she spoke the sky lit up for a second. Thousands of stars that seemed misplaced appeared in the night sky. Then, as if in response, several miniature suns exploded into being. Golden light flooded the night sky obscuring the stars nearby. Soon after other brightly colored orbs appeared across the horizon.

"And so it begins…" came another female voice. Both Bulma and the young soldier whirled to face the newcomer. Before them stood Marron dressed in uniform. Black pants, black blouse, and cloaked in black. Symbols that Bulma didn't recognize adorned her cloak and collar. Her blond hair cascaded down past her soldiers and her blue eyes were blazing with an inner fire.

"Why are you here?" asked Bulma inquisitively. "I figured you be up there fighting."

"Leave us," commanded Marron to the young soldier in a voice that brooked no argument. Whereas Bulma had not recognized the symbols, the soldier had. He snapped to attention instantly and snapped off a salute before hastily running down the hill.

Amusement flickered across Bulma's face as she watched the young man scamper away. "You are going to have to teach me how to do that."

"I think you already now how to," smirked Marron. "As for me being here. My master decided I would be more useful ferreting out traitors than in combat."

Bulma thought about that for a second and realized that Marron was holding something back. She knew that the young blonde before her was as powerful as a Super Saiyan and that she had years of combat experience in space. Even to her untrained mind she knew that sending her to Chikyuu was not good strategy. "He sent you here to protect me?" she asked finally. Surprise, delight, and a hint of anger all welled up in her at once. Surprise and delight because if this were true then Vegeta truly did care. Anger because she felt that he was being overprotective and that she could take care of herself.

"Partially… I also seemed to have fallen into disfavor for the moment."

Bulma nodded in understanding. "I'm sorry that I got you into trouble."

Marron shrugged. "It's not a problem. You are part of his future and the future of the Imperium." She paused and was silent for a moment lost in thought. " Vegeta has been a second father to me for most of my life. I was a young stupid girl before I met him. His happiness is very important to me."

Bulma nodded. It was strange to think of Vegeta being able to incur such devotion from anyone. It only went to solidify her understanding of this Vegeta. He was so different yet so alike to the Vegeta she knew. His arrogance and pride were undiminished but there was a compassion about him that she had never though he could possess. She prayed fervently that he would survive.

"Walk with me." It wasn't a question. Without waiting for a response, Marron started walking down the hill towards the deserted city. Breaking out of her reverie, Bulma quickly caught up to the younger woman. The two walked for a while in silence until Marron stopped in front of a tall skyscraper. Grabbing Bulma's hand she leapt into the air and took her to the top of the building. Marron lifted her head skywards and Bulma did the same. The view was a bit better than from the hill and for an unknown amount of time they remained silent. "Do you believe in them?" asked Marron quietly.

"Believe in them?" Bulma parroted. The question caught her by surprise. In the brief time she had known Marron, Bulma had found her to be always in control of herself. This was the first time she had heard uncertainty grace her voice. As for the question, Bulma found that she wasn't sure at first. So much had happened in her life. Goku hadn't been there to defeat the androids. The others had failed. She believed in her son, that much she was sure, but what about the others? Did it matter? They were out there fighting for their lives and the lives of their loved ones. If they failed Chikyuu would be no more. Perhaps Marron's father and mother weren't as powerful as Goku or Vegeta. The ordinary humans on the ships were even less powerful. Yet, they would still give it their all and more. Even their very lives, she was sure of that. Every soldier out there would be fighting with a ferocity born of desperation.

It only took her a second to answer. "Yes… I believe in them."

…

And yet… Despite Sixth Fleet's best efforts. Despite the efforts of the Z-fighters and Vegeta, over half a thousand nuclear-tipped warheads penetrated the atmosphere. Gigatons upon gigatons of death rained down from the sky. In a matter of minutes much of life-rich Chikyuu was turned into molten slag. Once proud cities were incinerated. Skyscrapers that had stood proud the day before were obliterated. Rivers filled with life were turned into steam. Rich forests were burned to cinder. The sky itself changed color on that day from a beautiful clear blue into a sickly yellow crimson. Chikyuu had been found wanting.

And upon a skyscraper in Satan City, two women looked up from a computer where they were monitoring transmissions at the sky. The blue haired one cried out in horror as she saw death streaking towards them. The other had seen this before—too many times. The blonde only raised a single hand in welcome. It was clear that Vegeta had forseen this and that was why she was there. A smile crossed her lips in acceptance of her role in this battle. And then a blinding flash of light enveloped them.

…

_High above Earth—With Fleet group Alpha._

As Chikyuu was ravaged by the nuclear horror unleashed by Bojack, Goten's task force drove towards the far flank of the usurper's scattered fleet. Unable to concentrate the attackers couldn't mount even a token defense. The Chikyuu defender's cleaved through the first wave of Bojack's armada like a butcher's knife through soft tender veal. There was little finesse in this major engagement of the battle. Over ninety dreadnaughts and their escorts-200 ships in total-bore down on a tenth of that number and annihilated them. Super Saiyan strength ki blasts coupled with plasma and laser fire tore through the enemy ships incinerating the crew and ripping cruisers, escort ships and dreadnaughts apart. Without mercy the task force continued to slice their way towards the heart of Bojack's fleet like a scythe through wheat.

Yet, the soldiers under Bojack's command were neither cowardly nor incompetent. They were—after all—the comrades of the members of Sixth Fleet. They had been trained in the same academies, taught the same stratagems and instilled with the same ideas of duty and honor. It didn't take long before resistance stiffened and Goten's strike began to run out of momentum as waves upon waves of Bojack's ships began to concentrate and counterattack.

Trunks Vegeta Briefs—as a Super Saiyan—unleashed another barrage of ki blasts at one of the gray dagger-shaped Imperial dreadnaughts. Slightly winded, the young Ascended Saiyan heaved another sigh of frustration as he angrily watched his energy dissipate when it struck the massive ship's powerful shielding. _This is absolutely impossible_, he thought to himself dejectedly. He just couldn't believe that technology—no matter how advanced—could deflect a blast that would have turned one of the Androids into scrap. Then again, he mused, the androids themselves were technology. If Chikyuu could produce something that could match a Super Saiyan, what could a civilization that was light years more advanced do?

He realized now that-when the battle had first started-his ki blasts had never struck the enemy ships alone. A barrage of nuclear tipped warheads or a blast of searing lasers had always accompanied them. He had assumed that his ki blasts had been doing the damage, but apparently he was wrong. Understanding didn't help him though. Trunks couldn't help but feel that he was useless in this fight. He could ascend, but Goten had asked him to hold off until he gave the signal for Trunks to tap into his full potential. In fact, Goten had informed him to keep his level artificially low. He was barely at the Super Saiyan limit and as it was, Trunks couldn't do a damn thing to the monstrous ships that were slowly creeping towards Chikyuu, determined to finish all life off the planet.

Turning to look at his partner and now lover, he saw that she too was panting slightly. "How the hell do we damage these ships?" asked Trunks irritably.

"I have no idea!" sighed Pan a bit wearily. "I've never been in space combat before… I mean that's what the fleet was for!"

"Well we better come up with something fast because here comes more of them and we're going to get swamped under soon."

As he spoke, a massive explosion to his left ripped both of their attentions from the ship before them to that location. Trunks watched with grudging respect as he saw the Androids—17 and 18—leave behind a burning hulk that was once an Imperial Cruiser. The two androids flew onwards and began to dart between barrages of plasma cannon fire while continuously unleashing blasts of ki at the ship that they were now engaging. The sight was almost comical to Trunks. The two androids were no more than colored dots flying swiftly along the fifteen kilometers of destructive power that was an Imperial dreadnaught.

"Let's go Pan," he said. "Maybe if we combined our firepower with theirs we can do some damage."

"Alright. It's not like as we are accomplishing anything here," agreed Pan. White fire exploded around her as she summoned her ki and blasted off towards the Androids. Trunks golden aura followed a split second later.

As the two demi-Saiyans approached the battle, they saw Krillan join his wife and brother-in-law. The two androids continued to juke and dodge the ferocious fire that was unleashed by the dreadnaught, but they changed their firing pattern. Instead of striking at several places the two androids began firing at a single point. It was quite a tricky maneuver since they had to hold their aim while moving, but the Androids were making it look easy—Dr. Gero had done his work well. While they were distracting the gunners on the ship, Krillan flew in at a speed that exceeded the speed of sound many times over. Trunks held his breath as he waited for Krillan to splatter against the ships magnetic shields, but instead he shot through the small hole created by the focused fire of the Androids. Once inside the shields Trunks watched wide-eyed as Krillan smashed into the ships superstructure and disappeared.

"Krillan!" shouted Pan as she felt his ki drop, but her horror lasted only a second when she felt his ki began to skyrocket within the ship. Understanding immediately came to her and she turned towards Trunks to see his reaction at the actions of the Androids and the small Z-fighter. She found him already looking at her with a grin on his face. Moments later the dreadnaught began to break apart. Hundreds of little explosions wracked the once mighty ship and they saw Krillan fly as quickly as he could away before the ship explode in spectacular burst of fire and plasma.

"I can't believe we didn't think of that," said Trunks shaking his head in disbelief at his own stupidity. "You even told me not to raise my ki over 10,000 when _inside _the ship."

Pan nodded. "Yeah… Well now we know," she said. Looking around the battlefield, she saw that the ships of Sixth fleet were slowly being pounded into atoms by superior numbers. "What are you waiting for Trunks?" she cried urgently. "Let's get going. We have a battle to win.

…

_The other side… _

Bojack frowned as he glanced at the tactical screen. The enemy fleet had not spread out as he had anticipated. Instead they had split into too large columns, concentrating their capital ships into one of them. That larger column now streaked into his flank and seemed determined to drive to the heart of the fleet. Bojack smirked at the strategy. It wasn't a bad one and would probably work if they had more ships and he had less, but with the firepower he had now they couldn't win.

Yet, the sheer will that it took to watch one's home planet be annihilated while doing nothing showed the resolve of these Chikyuu-jin. They certainly were a people to be reckoned with and it was no wonder that someone as formidable as the Duke de Sirrus was from this world, all the more reason to sterilize it clean. The only thing that bothered Bojack was that Sirrus was undoubtedly alive. This maneuver was highly risky and took great coordination and the will to hold this fleet together after such a devastating attack on their home world had to come from somewhere.

"It seems that Sirrus is alive. They have remained concentrated and they are beginning to carve up our fleet piecemeal. Order a general concentration against the outer thrust. They are to keep that group from flanking us. The rest of the fleet will form around this flagship and crush the enemy fleet that is guarding the planet," commanded Bojack coolly.

"Yes your majesty!" came the cry from the Admiral on the command deck. Within moments there was a flurry of activity and Bojack's fleet began to move into position.

Bojack smiled predatorily as he gazed into his scouter and watched the numbers tick. The most powerful of their ki fighters were located near the planet. Two particular powers interested him. They were both much higher than the rest and they were no doubt the Duke and the Emperor. He would crush them first and then wheel around and destroy the flanking force. It would be easy.

…

Near Chikyuu Orbit—Battle Group Beta… 

Vegeta, Goku, Gohan, Piccolo and the older Z-fighters floated near the few capital ships that comprised of the battle group that lay in wait near Chikyuu. The atmosphere was solemn as they had watched their planet bombarded with nuclear weapons that seemed to tear the atmosphere apart. What was once blue and white was now a sickly brown. No one knew who survived down there and the Z-fighters and crews of the Chikyuu-jin manning the ships ached with worry for their loved ones. Yet, even though worry filled them, another emotion superceded concern—fury—pure and unadulterated fury. The need for vengeance burned through them and as Bojack's fleet advanced, the Chikyuu-jin and Z-fighters fought with a tenacity that was unmatched. Smaller ships rammed dreadnaughts as soldiers of the Chikyuu Defense Force flung their ships with suicidal rage into the invaders hoping to take out as many enemy ships as was possible before they themselves were blown up.

Vegeta and Goku flew through the enemy formations as a pair of avenging angels wrapped in fiery golden auras. Where they went ships exploded as they summoned their power to the maximum. Both were nearing the ascended level, but that was irrelevant at the moment. The plan was to bring Bojack as close in as possible and they were succeeding—at a cost.

Vegeta watched as Goku's eyes grew angrier and angrier. The older fighter was at his maximum and yet he wasn't able to destroy his enemies fast enough. As he and Vegeta combined their firepower to destroy one ship another would replace it. They could only watch as each one of their ships that fought beside them were methodically blown to bits.

Yet, for every of the defender's ship that was blown apart, several of Bojack's ships would disintegrate into space taking the lives of thousands and millions with them. It was only a matter of time before a blue skinned warrior appeared from one of the ships and floated toward Vegeta.

"Brat," said Vegeta into his communicator. "It is almost time. Bojack has left his ship and is coming for me. I will lure him to the planet. You may commence with the annihilation of the rest of his fleet."

"Understood," was the only words that came through the communicator. Turning to Goku, Vegeta said, "Kakkarot, it is time. Take the remaining portions of this fleet and hold this ground. I will take care of Bojack."

"Vegeta," replied Goku, "that guy is no joke. He's really powerful… probably more powerful than both of us combined."

"I'm not an idiot Kakkarot! I know this. It doesn't matter, if I can remove him from the fleet and you destroy their flagship it will be over. Do it Kakkarot, and when you are done then you can help me finish this pathetic sniveling of a worm off. Now go!" Vegeta's voice brooked no argument.

Goku looked at Vegeta and then looked at where Bojack was flying towards them at incredible speeds. He understood the plan, but he didn't like leaving Vegeta to face someone so strong by himself. Slowly, he nodded at Vegeta and then summoned more ki and blasted off to join with the fleet and the other Z-fighters to make a last ditch stand against the enemy battle fleet as it closed.

Vegeta dropped out of Super Saiyan as Bojack closed. He needed rest and every moment of it was precious at this point. Slowly he let the planet's gravity take hold of him and pull him in closer. Bojack had seen him and it was only a matter of time before the blue skin man felt the jaws of his trap close.

Bojack was still a minute or two away when he unleashed a barrage of ki attacks. They weren't too hard to dodge as even at the speed of light, it took seconds for the blasts to reach Vegeta. He didn't even have to power up to move out of their way.

"Come traitor!" shouted Vegeta with as much arrogance as he could muster, "You sniveling piece of worm shit… You will feel the true wrath of a Saiyan today and I will show you know mercy as I rip your arms from your body."

Bojack laughed at Vegeta and then bore in. Vegeta was pathetic, he thought, there was simply no way he could be beaten by such a weakling. As he attacked Vegeta with fist and ki he didn't realize that Vegeta was slowly drawing him into the planet's atmosphere. It didn't take him long to strike Vegeta and then watch him plummet towards the ground.

Vegeta smiled as he tasted the dirt beneath him. It was done. Bojack was within the atmosphere and far from his fleet. As soon as Trunks ascended and his fleet trapped Bojack's it would be over. No doubt Kakkarot would ascend too, knowing that ever cheerful pathetic excuse for a saiyan's ability to leap ahead in power and skill. It galled him, but the knowledge that he had already won over Bojack made him feel a lot better. The fool didn't even know it yet. Even if he lost in single combat here, the rebellion would be crushed. It would simply top off his day—no his lifetime—to destroy this blue skinned freak.

"Time to die, Emperor Vegeta. Thank you for the means to rule this galaxy," he heard Bojack say coldly. With a scream he exploded back into Super Saiyan, twisted and planted a ki blast right in the idiot's shocked blue face. The expression was priceless.

Bojack screamed as he was blasted backwards, but it didn't take long for him to recover. The Saiyan and Blue skinned demon were soon locked in mortal combat near the surface of Chikyuu. The battle was fierce. For every blow that Vegeta landed, Bojack landed two or three. It was a slow battle of attrition.

Sent crashing across the ground of the now desolate planet, Vegeta struggled to get up. He still had enough power to remain in super saiyan and he was losing. He watched Bojack slowly walk across the ground towards him with a smile on his face.

"Do you think you have won?" asked Vegeta as he fought to get his breath back.

"I know I have. You can't possibly win Vegeta and with you dead and your fleet destroyed, there will be no one to stop me from ruling the galaxy."

"That's pretty funny," laughed Vegeta as golden light washed over him. Yet, the light wasn't from him, it came from high above. He glanced up and smirked. There were two suns so bright that the night sky was obliterated. It seemed his hunch had been correct; Kakkarot had ascended as well. Now there was no chance for Bojack's fleet to win. "Take a look above you Bojack. You have lost, better luck next time."

Bojack too had been looking upwards as the golden light flashed across the night sky. He quickly pulled out a communicator and said something into it. Vegeta's smirk just grew wider as he saw Bojack grow angry at the lack of response. It turned into a pure malicious grin when he watched Bojack crush the communicator in his hands.

"What's the matter you blue skinned freak? No one responding? Surprise, surprise."

"I may have lost, but you will die here. I'll have another chance and all this will be for nothing."

"I will die here?" smirked Vegeta. He closed his eyes and exploded back into Super Saiyan. With a scream he began to ascend to the upper limits of the Super Saiyan limit. He didn't think he'd be able to break it; he didn't have the need. Damn the brats for the stupid plan. With a blur he appeared behind Bojack and grabbed him into a lock. "But you will die with me."

"What? No, you can't do this. You wouldn't!" cried Bojack, fear in his voice, as he realized what Vegeta planned on doing. It was not something he could survive.

"But I would… this planet really does pollute the mind with its ideals of self-sacrifice." He held onto the struggling Bojack easily as he unleashed the inner ki from himself. All the potential of the Prince of all Saiyans—now Emperor of the galaxy poured out of him at once. The resulting explosion ripped mountains and sky alike apart; a virtual supernova on the surface of the planet. The last thing Bojack heard before his body was ripped apart and incinerated was the mocking laugh of Vegeta.

………………..

A/N: Back from Vegas… sorry for the wait. We're almost done… Hoped you liked this chapter. Review! 450 reviews would be nice! Last Chapter the Epilogue next... i've worked it over like 5 times and finally came to the conclusion that a short dramatic one would be best... anyway it'll be up soon.


	25. Chapter Twenty Five: Epilogue

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belongs to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Author: Cka3ka

Chapter 25: Epilogue

High above the earth… 

Two dozen ships floated towards the planet Chikyuu. Their superstructures were battered, and there was an occasional blast of plasma that erupted from damaged engines and weapons systems. Two dozen ships were all that remained of Son Goten's Sixth Fleet. Yet, they had done the impossible. They had driven away or destroyed an armada eight times their size. Yet, the cost had been great—too great. More than ninety percent of the ships of Sixth Fleet had been destroyed, and Chikyuu itself had been destroyed. Slowly the survivors of the Chikyuu defenders returned to their planet. While many held onto hope that there would have been survivors on Chikyuu, the more pragmatic ones knew that the chances were slim. The number of nuclear weapons that had scorched Earth's surface had been too great.

Trunks Vegeta Briefs did not want to think of all those that died as he slowly entered Admiral Aethefel's flagship. He had fought the androids and had seen the carnage that they had wrecked. Yet, the scope of destruction in this battle had outstripped anything he had ever witnessed.

"Trunks… are you alright?" asked Pan as she walked next to him. She took his hand and squeezed it tightly in a gesture of reassurance.

"I'm not sure. This…was terrible," he said slowly as he looked out the window at the destruction, much of it had been his doing.

"I know. I've never seen anything like it. I'm not sure if I ever want to see anything like it again."

"It won't be the last battle you know…"

"I know…"

"Come on… my uncle is waiting. We need to talk to him… I felt something horrible happen just a short while ago."

Trunks nodded and followed her. He knew what she had felt. The ki energy that had been released on earth was immense, and he knew it had been his father's energy. He had no doubt that his father was no longer with them; that Vegeta had sacrificed himself to destroy Bojack. He had hoped that it wouldn't come to that, but he had known from the start that it was the most probable outcome. He closed his eyes for a moment feeling the sadness well up in him. This dimensions version of his father—he was everything that Trunks had dreamed of. In so many ways he was like the father he had met in the other dimension—gruff, abrasive, and distant. Yet, there was something about him that was different—a nobility of sorts. He understood now what Goten's plan was and how everything hinged upon the least likely of people—the daughter of Android number 18. If two years ago someone had told him that from Android 18 would issue the hope of Chikyuu, he would have laughed in their face before punching their lights out. How things changed.

The two young lovers walked silently to the bridge of the ship. When they entered they saw that there was no exuberance at the victory, that there was no joy or celebration. Everyone on the ship knew what the cost of the victory was—the destruction of Chikyuu. At the moment, the only living Chikyuu-jin alive were on the ships of this fleet and, perhaps, a few scattered across the universe.

At the far end of the bridge, stood a figure gazing through the viewing windows at the destroyed planet below. Son Goten stood regal in his imperial uniform. His face was emotionless. The destruction of a planet was not something new to him. It was something he had seen too many times; it was something he had even contributed to. Yet, this was his planet and under his emotionless mask turmoil raged. _Marron please… please be safe. Everything depends on you…_

"You have come to see the final chapter of this battle," asked Goten to the two as he slowly turned around to look at his niece and the heir to the Empire. Even in these darkest of times, the Duke de Sirrus was resplendent in his uniform. His eyes were cold and no hint of emotional strain touched his voice.

"Yes… uncle, what was that ki that I felt earlier? It felt as if something… something terrible had happened."

"Vegeta is… no longer with us for the present," answered Goten slowly. His words were to his niece but his eyes held Trunks. His next words were solemn and directed towards Trunks. "You are the heir of Vegeta—first emperor of the Galactic Imperium. Do you claim his throne?"

Trunks looked at Goten shocked. This was something he had not expected. He had not even known this man for more than a week and he was offering him the throne? He looked over at Pan and saw that shock was written on her face as well. He didn't need to turn around to see that the bridge crew and any who heard Goten's words reaction. "I thought there was a deeper plan then just sacrificing Chikyuu or my father," he said flatly. "I think we should pursue that option before any talk of succession, yes?"

"Perhaps," replied Goten. "We are in range of Chikyuu. I intend to take a shuttle down momentarily. Will you two join me?"

"Of course."

Goten nodded and then motioned to several officers and then led Trunks and Pan out.

…

Chikyuu… 

The once rich and peaceful land of Chikyuu had been laid to waste. The rich verdant forests that had covered much of the planet had been reduced to ash; grasslands had been turned to wasteland; mighty rivers that once roared from the mountains to the sea were nothing more than steam that rose upwards to join the sickening radioactive atmosphere.

And there, upon a skyscraper in a city that had been destroyed stood a blonde woman. She wore the uniform of an Imperial Marchioness and they were unsullied. The three crystal orbs on her collar shimmered in the waning hours of sunlight. In all her years in servitude to the Emperor she had never been asked to protect anyone or anything. She had been a killer, an assassin, a murderer; a being that was feared throughout the galaxy. She had been the hollow one—without any emotion and without mercy. Where she went, death had followed. But she had always been more. She had been a lover and a daughter. She had lent them her strength so that they wouldn't become Frieza's and become tyrants. She had taken the greatest of burdens, the burden of conscience. In the end she had survived. She had not become evil; she had lost herself to the power she wielded.

And so it was that it was to her that Goten and Vegeta had turned to protect the two most precious things. Two things that would give anyone power beyond imagining. Next to her stood the hope of the Imperium—Vegeta's redemption. Bulma Briefs stood alive and whole amongst the millions of dead in the shattered remains of a city. She had survived one holocaust and now as she looked around her, she had survived another. Now she waited for her beloved one to return to her. Would he want her? Would he remain with her? He was hardheaded and stubborn but she knew in her heart that their love was true. She had been born in luxury and had fallen into poverty. She had watched her world and this world burn around her. Amongst the living, few had suffered as she had. Yet, the suffering hadn't broken her. Like a tempered sword, she had been forged and re-forged into something stronger than steel. To the one next to her, to any who had met her, there was no doubt that she was the future of the Imperium; she and the child that she carried within her womb. This woman would be Empress of an Empire that spanned five hundred worlds. Vegeta would return her. She knew that with an unwavering certainty. He would return and all of Chikyuu with him.

For it, it wasn't only the Empire's future that Marron Chaitagne—daughter of Android 18 protected. Held around her by the power of her ki, seven orange balls floated in the air glowing with the power of wishes waiting to be used.

Chikyuu's restoration was at hand.

FIN

Author's note: This is the end of a Brief Moment in Time. I think I rewrote this last chapter 10 times. I wrote out a Vegeta / Bulma reunion scene—it's not really good—and a Dragon scene but when it all came together it seemed… incomplete. So I scrapped all that and decided it was better to end it with a more "dramatic scene" where its Bulma and Marron standing in the deserted city with the dragon balls. Kinda like a symbol of hope to come. But before you all decide to STRANGLE ME… I have been kind enough to include in an aftermath the Vegeta/Bulma scene. Writing Vegeta as a romantic is… like hard. Read on…

ENCORE

Chikyuu… after its restoration… 

The journey hadn't been hard. She had asked Marron to take her to the island where she and Vegeta had first made their bond. Chikyuu had been restored and all those that had died defending the planet had been resurrected. He had not yet returned but there was no doubt in her mind that he would.

The island was as lush as she remembered. Its rocky surface was covered with tropical fauna. Birds chirped in the trees above her and she could hear animals walking in the underbrush. It took her almost two hours to hike up to a spot that she remembered even after all that time.

And there before her eyes stood the man she had been waiting for. He stood with his back to her gazing out over the sea from the cliff that he stood on. She could see every line in his muscular back.

"You should have left… You know that if you remain you will die?"

"I know… but we all die sometime. I have nothing to go back to, Vegeta," she said as she walked behind him and wrapped her arms around him. She could feel him relax as she put her arms around him. "If I'm going to live then I want to the life I want, not the one forced on me."

He turned around and took her in his arms, embracing her. "I lost you once and it drove me nearly mad. I don't know what I would do if something happened to you."

"I'll wait for you in the other world. We'll be together. I promise."

"Death doesn't frighten you?"

"I've been dead for years Vegeta… I don't want to keep on living dead. I want to live. I want to live with you."

Vegeta slowly turned around and their gazes met. "Woman, you are too stubborn for your own good."

"So are you… but this time, this time Vegeta I don't think you're going to win. I won't go back."

"Will you then come with me? Will you then come and reign over half a thousand worlds with me as its Empress?"

"Are you asking me to marry you?" she said with a familiar smirk.

"Of course not. Who would want to marry a screeching harpy like you?" he responded reflexively. Bulma laughed.

"Of course I'll go with you… you know I bear your child?"

"I know. She will be my heir. She will be Empress Vegeta when we are gone."

Bulma felt Vegeta's strong arms wrap around her and leaned back into them. Destiny was a funny thing. She had lost everything in her world—her love, her friends, and her world. Now, in this other moment in time she had everything back. There was much work to be done yet, and trials to be faced. Yet, it was enough to be with him. It was enough to see her friends again. It was enough to watch her son marry. Bulma had never believed in Happily Ever Afters, but for a brief moment she felt hope as she had never felt it before.

FIN AGAIN

A/n: That's it! I'm done! After hours upon hours and 120k+ works this is finished. I hope you all enjoyed it. I know I enjoyed writing it and enjoyed meeting with you all.

I've moved over to Star Wars fanfic for now… and am posting a lot of fics over at the forums at theforce . net. Anyone interested come along and play. I have the same nick so it shouldn't be hard to find me! When I'm far enough along I'll move them over here.

I'll still be posting here on occasion. I'm still contemplating on working on Circumstantial Evidence. And I'm still interested in doing aBMT sequal... but the sequal I'd like to do as a collaboration. That's another massive project and I don't think I have the energy to do it alone.

E-mail or Aim me anytime.

Ciao,

Cka3ka.


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